Closterium cynthia. Notice strongly curved cell with broadly rounded apices, striate cell wall and terminal vacuoles enclosing a single, big crystal.
Cell dimensions (L x B): ca 130 x 20 µm

 

 

Desmid of the month
November 2012

Closterium cynthia

Closterium cynthia is marked by strongly curved cells, a brownish, striate cell wall with one or two girdle bands and broadly rounded to slightly obliquely truncate apices. Its zygospore is globular and smooth-walled. In the Netherlands Cl. cynthia is widely distributed in slightly acidic, oligo-mesotrophic moorland pools and fen hollows. Zygospores are only incidentally encountered.

Dead, empty cell of Cl. cynthia. Notice brownish, striate cell wall provided with a broad girdle band in its central part.

Gobular, smooth-walled zygospore of Cl. cynthia.