Closterium
Closterium spp. · Phytoplankton
Under the microscope · Photo: Igor Shelpiakov / CC BY
Also called Crescent desmid
How to identify Closterium
- Under the microscope: large crescent or banana shaped green cell, pointed at both ends
- Clear vacuole at each tip with tiny dancing crystals
- Long ridged chloroplasts
- In the water: not visible
Similar species
Ankistrodesmus and Monoraphidium are much smaller and lack the end vacuoles.
Profile
| Season | Spring through fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 50 F and up |
| Light | Moderate light |
| Depth | Among plants and in open water of shallow ponds |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Cell division and sexual spores |
| Habitat | Ponds, wetlands, lakes and among aquatic plants; common in shallow ponds. |
Why it matters in a lake
Big and easy to spot in samples. Harmless, common in plant filled ponds.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Charophyta |
| Class | Zygnematophyceae |
| Order | Desmidiales |
| Family | Closteriaceae |
| Scientific name | Closterium spp. |
Chlamydomonas
Scenedesmus
Ankistrodesmus
Oocystis
Pediastrum
Desmodesmus
Monoraphidium
Chlorella
Sphaerocystis
CosmariumNeed a hand?
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