Coelosphaerium
Coelosphaerium spp. · Phytoplankton
Under the microscope · Photo: CC0
May produce toxins
Only a lab test shows whether a bloom is toxic. Keep people, pets and livestock out of discolored or scummy water until it is tested.
How to identify Coelosphaerium
- Under the microscope: round or oval hollow colonies with a single layer of small cells around the outer edge
- No radiating stalks inside
- Cells round, blue green, sometimes with gas vesicles
- In the water: can form small green dots in blooms with other blue greens
Similar species
Woronichinia and Snowella have jelly stalks radiating from the center; Microcystis colonies are solid.
Profile
| Season | Summer and fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 60 F and up |
| Light | Moderate to full sun |
| Depth | Upper water column |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Colony breakup |
| Habitat | Ponds, lakes and reservoirs with moderate to high nutrients. |
Why it matters in a lake
Toxin production by Coelosphaerium itself is not well documented. Older reports of toxic Coelosphaerium blooms may have involved Woronichinia, which was long called Coelosphaerium naegelianum.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Bacteria |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Cyanobacteria |
| Class | Cyanophyceae |
| Order | Chroococcales |
| Family | Microcystaceae |
| Scientific name | Coelosphaerium spp. |
Microcystis
Dolichospermum (Anabaena)
Aphanizomenon
Pseudanabaena
Aphanocapsa
Planktothrix
Chroococcus
Merismopedia
Woronichinia
LimnothrixNeed a hand?
Worried about a bloom?
We identify algae under the microscope and test for cyanotoxins, so you know what is in the water and whether it is safe.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596