The filamentous colony-forming diatom Aulacoseira pusilla with a high mantle height/valve diameter ratio

Abstract

We found Aulacoseira pusilla individuals with valves with a high ratio of mantle height to valve diameter, making long filamentous colonies in Lake Kasumigaura. Light microscopy (LM) and scanning electoron microscopy (SEM) observation confirmed that these individuals belong to A. pusilla. Such a high ratio of mantle height to valve diameter has never been reported in previous studies. However, it was clarified that the relationship between these individuals' mantle height and valve diameter generally fits the same allometric relationship as with typical A. pusilla observed from the same sample.