Gomphonema
Gomphonema spp. · Phytoplankton
Under the microscope · Photo: CC0
Also called Club diatom
How to identify Gomphonema
- Under the microscope: club or wedge shaped diatoms, wider at one end than the other
- Often attached to plants or rocks on jelly stalks
- Golden brown plastids
- In the water: part of brown slimy growth on plants and canal walls
Similar species
Navicula is the same width at both ends; Cymbella is curved like a banana.
Profile
| Season | Spring through fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts | About 45 F and up |
| Light | Moderate light |
| Depth | Attached on surfaces; suspended in shallow water |
| How it spreads or reproduces | Cell division |
| Habitat | Attached to plants, rocks and liners in ponds, canals, streams and lakes; washes into the water in shallow ponds. |
Why it matters in a lake
An attached diatom that often shows up in counts from shallow, well mixed ponds and canals. Harmless.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Common
- Oregon: Common
- Wyoming: Common
Classification
| Kingdom | Chromista |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Bacillariophyta |
| Class | Bacillariophyceae |
| Order | Cymbellales |
| Family | Gomphonemataceae |
| Scientific name | Gomphonema 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