Desmid of the month
November 2003

Micrasterias pinnatifida

Micrasterias pinnatifida is a small-sized but characteristically-shaped Micrasterias species. This species is common in tropical regions where its ecological demands are likely to be less strict then in Europe. According to Ruzicka’s flora, in central Europe M. pinnatifida is only of scattered occurrence, preferably in (slightly) acidic habitats *. In the Netherlands, until recently only records from the beginning of the last century were known (some moorland pools in the southern and eastern part of the country). Last year, however, M. pinnatifida was encountered in a number of mesotrophic quivering fen hollows in the nature reserve ‘De Wieden’. It is unclear whether those sites have been overlooked for a long time or were subject of recent immigration.

* A  deviant habitat is reported by Fehér (2003) from southern Hungary.

Reference

Fehér, G., 2003. The desmid flora of some alkaline lakes and wetlands in southern Hungary. Biologia (Bratislava), (in press).