Observation Descriptions
Observation Descriptions on Melosira inflexa
Melosira inflexa (Roth) Guiry 2019
Morphological Details of Melosira inflexa
The species is characterized by cylindrical to subspherical cell shape. The cell groups form filaments that are held together by mucilaginous pads. The cells characteristically associate in groups of two or three and are connected by mantle structures called “cingula”.
Fig. 1: Filaments of Melosira inflexa. Left: Groups of 2 cells each. Scale bar indicates 50 µm. Right: Groups of 3 cells each. Scale bar indicates 25 µm (right).
Sampling location: Baltic Sea, Kieler Förde, Kiel Fjord (Germany), Latitude: 54.3894126, Longitude: 10.1749055
Fig. 2: Upper left inset: The focal plane is at the chloroplasts, which line the frustule lying parietal (arrow). Groups of 2 cells each. Scale bar indicates 50 µm. Main image: The cingula (double arrowhead) forming a cylindrical mantle connect two or three cells. These coats enclose the valves of the individual cells. The ornamentation of the cingula differs significantly from that of the valves (double headed arrow). Scale bar of main image indicates 25 µm.
The sexual reproduction of Melosira inflexa
The sexual reproduction of centric diatoms (Centrales) is characterized by oogamy. In Melosira, the spermatozoids are formed in narrower, the oogonia in broader filaments. After meiosis, four mobile spermatozoa with one flagellum develop in the male gamete mother cells (antheridia), in each of the oogonia three meiotic nuclei collapse and only one egg cell capable of fertilization remains.
(After Krammer, K. and van den Hoek, C.)
Fig. 3: Spermatozoids: We can see flagella (arrow) and their golden-brown chloroplast (double arrowhead, color due to the accessory dye fucoxanthin) at the posterior end of each spermatozoid (arrowhead).
Scale bar indicates 50 µm.
© Wolfgang Bettighofer,
images under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA).
For permission to use of (high resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.
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nostochinearum
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komarekii
arboricola
viridis
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subspicatus
strictissimum
arcuata
sculpta
aureus
lunaris
lunatus
rostrata
bibraianum
irregularis
ehrenbergianum
reticulatum
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tetras
enorme
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obesa
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cystozygote
gracillimum
hemisphaerica
lagerheimii
sicula
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simplex
elegans
cyst
caudatum
pisiformis
angustum
tetrachotoma
simplex
var. sturmii
superbus
triappendiculata
spec.
incus
biradiatum
spec.
zoospores
mutabilis
spec.
microporum
var. octaedricum
tetrapedia
braunii
speciosa
reinhardtii
vulgaris
communis
pusillum
boryanum
var. longicorne
dissectum
lacustris
confluens
opoliensis
var. carinatus
quadrisetum
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paludosa
speculum
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New items
nostochinearum
subgranulatum
spec.
komarekii
arboricola
viridis
fenestrata
tripus
subspicatus
strictissimum
arcuata
sculpta
aureus
lunaris
lunatus
rostrata
bibraianum
irregularis
ehrenbergianum
reticulatum
marssonii
tetras
enorme
spec.
obesa
parva
dimorphus
limneticum
falcatus
viridis
cystozygote
gracillimum
hemisphaerica
lagerheimii
sicula
sudetica
aciculiferus
simplex
elegans
cyst
caudatum
pisiformis
angustum
tetrachotoma
simplex
var. sturmii
superbus
triappendiculata
spec.
incus
biradiatum
spec.
zoospores
mutabilis
spec.
microporum
var. octaedricum
tetrapedia
braunii
speciosa
reinhardtii
vulgaris
communis
pusillum
boryanum
var. longicorne
dissectum
lacustris
confluens
opoliensis
var. carinatus
quadrisetum
purpureum
paludosa
speculum
diaphanum
helminthosa