Cymbella
Cymbella spp. · Phytoplankton
Under the microscope · Photo: crseaquist / CC BY
Also called Banana diatom
How to identify Cymbella
- Under the microscope: banana or crescent shaped diatoms with one side curved more than the other
- Often on jelly stalks or in tubes attached to surfaces
- Golden brown plastids
- In the water: part of brown films on rocks and plants
Similar species
Gomphonema is club shaped and not curved; Epithemia is also curved but has strong crosswise ribs.
Profile
| Season | Spring through fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 45 F and up |
| Light | Moderate to full light |
| Depth | Attached on surfaces; suspended in shallow water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Cell division |
| Habitat | Attached to rocks and plants in streams, canals, springs and lake edges; often hard, alkaline water. |
Why it matters in a lake
Common in clean, flowing and alkaline waters of the region. Harmless.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Chromista |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Bacillariophyta |
| Class | Bacillariophyceae |
| Order | Cymbellales |
| Family | Cymbellaceae |
| Scientific name | Cymbella spp. |
Fragilaria
Cyclotella
Asterionella
Navicula
Aulacoseira
Ulnaria (Synedra)
Nitzschia
Stephanodiscus
Tabellaria
MelosiraNeed a hand?
Want to know what is in your water?
Lab counts of the algae in your lake show what is growing, how much and whether a bloom is coming.
Idaho / Wyoming (208) 501-4531Oregon (541) 280-0596