Desmid of the month
August 2017

Closterium limneticum

In the past, Closterium limneticum was often mistaken for Closterium gracile (desmid of January 2017). Both species are marked by slender cells which are straight with parallel sides for most of their length but rather abruptly bent toward the apices. Where, however, Cl. gracile is characterized by relatively broad, truncately rounded apices provided with an end-pore, cell ends in Cl. limneticum are more gradually attenuated to a narrowly rounded apex without a distinct pore (Růžička 1962). In the Netherlands, Cl. limneticum is a common species in the plankton of eutrophic, alkaline water bodies, sometimes even causing blooms.

Reference
Růžička, J., 1962. Closterium limneticum Lemm. 1899. Preslia 34: 176-189.