Diatom varieties, darkfield photomicrograph
A unique feature of diatom anatomy is that they are surrounded by a cell wall made of silica (hydrated silicon dioxide), called a frustules have structural coloration due to their photonic nanostructure, prompting them to be described as "jewels of the sea" and "living opals". Movement in diatoms primarily occurs passively as a result of both water currents and wind-induced water turbulence; however, male gametes of centric diatoms have flagella, permitting active movement for seeking female gametes. Similar to plants, diatoms convert light energy to chemical energy by photosynthesis, although this shared autotrophy evolved independently in both lineages. Unusually for autotrophic organisms, diatoms possess a urea cycle, a feature that they share with animals, although this cycle is used to different metabolic ends in diatoms.
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Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
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Keywords: actinocyclus, actinoptychus, amphetras, amphitetras, arachnodiscus, biddulpha, biodiversity, collection, cosciodiscus, cyclotella, darkfield, diatom, ecology, major, melosira, navicula, neidum, phoenicentrum, photomicrograph, pinnularia, stauroneis, stephanodiscus, symbolophora, taxonomy, triceratium, varieties
