Staurastrum levanderi
Image © Alfred van Geest

Staurastrum levanderi. Cell of Staurastrum levanderi in frontal view. Notice triangular semicell body and slender, arm-like processes.
Cell dimensions (L x B): 25 x 35 µm


Staurastrum levanderi
Image © Alfred van Geest

Cell of Staurastrum levanderi in apical view. Notice biradiate configuration, the semicell body rather abruptly passing into the processes.



Staurastrum levanderi
Image © Alfred van Geest

A more slender form of St. levanderi known as its var. hollandicum.

 


Desmid of the month
June 2023

Staurastrum levanderi


St. levanderi — a small-sized, biradiate Staurastrum with slender processes — a little bit resembles St. chaetoceras (desmid of November 2002). However, whereas cell wall granules in St. chaetoceras are mainly confined to concentric series around the processes, St. levanderi is marked by a characteristic ornamentation of the semicell body. In frontal view, the triangular semicell body is ornamented with three transversal series of acute granules: an apical, a subapical and an isthmial series. The granules in question are partly packed up into small groups. In the Netherlands, St. levanderi is incidentally encountered in plankton of meso-eutrophic water bodies.

Staurastrum levanderi
Image © Marien van Westen

SEM-foto van Staurastrum levanderi var. hollandicum in front-aanzicht.

Staurastrum levanderi
Image © Wil Leurs

St. levanderi (var. hollandicum). Notice cell wall ornamentation on semicell body consisting of an apical, a subapical and an isthmial series of granules.