Odontella C.Agardh, 1832
Holotype species: Odontella aurita (Lyngbye) C.Agardh
Original publication and holotype designation: Agardh, C.A. (1832). Conspectus criticus diatomacearum. Part 4. pp. 49-66. Lundae [Lund]: Literis Berlingianus.
Request PDFDescription: Cells oblong in girdle view, with long 'spines' and raised apical elevations. Often forming chains linked by the processes, with the tubular spines crossing each other. Plastids many, small, discoid. Marine, planktonic or epiphytic. Very abundant throughout the oceans. Valves elliptical or lanceolate, with no separation into face and mantle. Valve face plain or with fine granules, spinules or spines, sometimes with two ridges (which may be fibriate) running on either side delimiting an elliptical area in the centre. At each end there is an elevation, sometimes low and blunt, elsewhere horn-like, which bears an ocellus. Wall loculate, with fine external pores and round internal foramina. The edge of the valve mantle is sometimes recurved so that a groove runs around just above the free edge. The spines, which are very variable in length, are actually the exit tubes of the rimoportulae, and are placed in the centre of the valves or close to the bases of the elevations, diagonally opposite each other; they can have small apical spinules. Internally the rimoportulae are sessile and lie in slight depressions. Copulae split, with ligulae and clustered fimbriae along the advalvar edge; areolae simple, in vertical rows. The valvocopula is modified to fit the 'sculptured' edge of the valve mantle.
The most recent alteration to this page was made on 2019-01-10 by M.D. Guiry.Taxonomic status: This name is of an entity that is currently accepted taxonomically.
Most recent taxonomic treatment adopted: Sims, P.A., Williams, D.M. & Ashworth, M.[P.] (2018). Examination of type specimens for the genera Odontella and Zygoceros (Bacillariophyceae) with evidence for the new family Odontellaceae and a description of three new genera. Phytotaxa 382(1): 1-56, 156 figs, 2 text-figs.
Comments: Scott & Thomas (2005: 48) record this genus as being a member of the Family Eupodiscaceae. Odontella differs from Biddulphia in having distinct ocelli, rimoportulae that often have long external tubular extensions, and a loculate valve structure, with small external pores and simple foramina internally. We include in Odontella the following 'Biddulphia' species: auria, obtusa, edwardsii (possibly = rhombus), mobiliensis, regia and sinensis. The last two species are delicate planktonic forms. The coarser structure of O. aurita, and O. edwardsii and some others requires further investigation but for the moment we leave these taxa here.
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Some of the descriptions included in AlgaeBase were originally from the unpublished Encyclopedia of Algal Genera,
organised in the 1990s by Dr Bruce Parker on behalf of the Phycological Society of America (PSA)
and intended to be published in CD format.
These AlgaeBase descriptions are now being continually updated, and each current contributor is identified above.
The PSA and AlgaeBase warmly acknowledge the generosity of all past and present contributors and particularly the work of Dr Parker.
Descriptions of chrysophyte genera were subsequently published in J. Kristiansen & H.R. Preisig (eds.). 2001. Encyclopedia of Chrysophyte Genera. Bibliotheca Phycologica 110: 1-260.
Linking to this page: https://www.algaebase.org/search/genus/detail/?genus_id=44427
Citing AlgaeBase
Cite this record as:
M.D. Guiry in Guiry, M.D. & Guiry, G.M. 10 January 2019. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. https://www.algaebase.org; searched on 25 November 2024
