Chaetocerotaceae

Chaetocerotaceae
Chaetoceros furcellatus
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Chromalveolata
Phylum:	Heterokontophyta
Class:	Bacillariophyceae
Order:	Centrales
Suborder:	Biddulphiineae
Family:	Chaetocerotaceae
Genera
Bacteriastrum Shadbolt Chaetoceros Ehrenberg Attheya T. West

The family Chaetocerotaceae Ralfs in Pritchard 1861, is a diatom family (Bacillariophyceae). This family comprise the three genera Attheya T. West, Bacteriastrum Shadbolt and Chaetoceros Ehrenberg.^[1] Chaetoceros is arguably the largest and most species rich genus of marine planktonic diatoms. The taxonomic status within Chaetocerotaceae at present is somewhat unclear.^[2]

Description

The cells have valves with long setae. Cells are often in unseparable chains, but may appear as solitary cells in some species. Chains are formed by fusion of silica between the setae. Endogenous resting spores are common and very different from normal vegetative cells.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Tomas, C. R., Hasle G. R., Syvertsen, E. E., Steidinger, K. A., Tangen, K., Throndsen, J., Heimdal, B. R., (1997). Identifying Marine Phytoplankton, Academic Press.
2. ^ Rines J. E. B., Theriot E. C., (2003). Systematics of Chaetocerotaceae (Bacillariophyceae). I. A phylogenetic analysis of the family, Phycological research 51: 83-98.