Staurosirella leptostauron (Ehrenb.) Williams and Round 1987
Length:15

 Width:11

 Striae: 9






























Collection 802

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Authority information

(Ehr.) Hust. in Rabh., Kryptog.-Fl. Deutschland, vol. 7(2), no. 1, p. 153, fig. 668a-b (Williams and Round 1987).

Other images

Fig. 22. Staurosirella leptostauron SEM (6.5 micrometer bar). Fig. 23. SEM of large apical field pore visible on valve apex (2.5 micrometer bar). (Plate of SEM's courtesy of Diatom Research, Biopress, Ltd., Williams and Round 1987)

More information

Originally, the pictured specimen was identified as Fragilaria leptostauron as described by Patrick and Reimer 1966 , and the following information refers to this taxon.
Fragilaria leptostauron frustules are attached by valve faces into short, irregular, band-shaped colonies (Stoermer and Yang 1969).

  • Basionym (Patrick and Reimer 1966)
    Biblarium leptostauron Ehr. 1854
  • Synonyms(Patrick and Reimer 1966)
    Fragilaria leptostauron (Ehr.) Hust. in Rabh., Kryptog.-Fl. Deutschland, vol. 7(2), no. 1, p. 153, figs. 668a-b. 1931.
    Staurosira pinnata Ehr., Mikrogeol., pl. 5(2), fig. 24. 1854.
    Odontidium? harrisonii W. Sm., Syn. British Diat., vol. 2, p. 18, pl. 60, fig. 373. 1856.
    Fragilaria harrisonii (W. Sm.) Grun., Verh. Zool.-Bot. Ges. Wien, 12: 368. 1862.
  • Ecology
    Fragilaria leptostauron is common in freshwater systems. It is usually found in shallow water and often on mud surfaces (Patrick and Reimer 1966).

    Size ranges and morphology

    For Fragilaria leptostauron :
  • Length is 15-36 micrometers (Patrick and Reimer 1966).
  • Breadth is 10-23 micrometers (in middle of valve) (Patrick and Reimer 1966).
  • Striae range is 5-9 per 10 micrometers (Patrick and Reimer 1966).
  • In Lake Michigan, the length of Fragilaria leptostauron ranges from 8-30 micrometers. The breadth ranges from 7-18 micrometers and the striae are 5-9 in 10 micrometers. In the Great Lakes samples, this species was highly variable in valve shape and deformed and abnormal specimens were commonly found (Stoermer and Yang 1969).