A = Two living cells united with a thin connecting thread (=arrowhead) (BF); B = Cell in valve view; C = Frustule in girdle view (arrow=Occluded process)
Life-form: Solitary or chain-forming
Size: Diameter = 40-186 µm
Resting spore:
Note: Occluded processes may be missing
Distinctive features: Occluded processes, strutted processes and ribbed valve margin
Similar species: Thalassiosira licea, T. lundiana
Distribution: Widely
Literature:
Hasle, G. R. 1983a. Thalassiosira punctigera (Castr.) comb.
nov., a widely distributed marine planktonic diatom. Nordic Journal
of Botany. 3: 593-608.
Hasle, G. R. & Syvertsen, E. E. 1996. Marine diatoms. In: Tomas, C. R. (ed.) Identifying marine diatoms and dinoflagellates. Academic Press, Inc., San Diego, p. 5-385.
Takano, H. 1990. Diatoms. In "Red tide organisms in Japan-An illustrated taxonomic guide". (Y. Fukuyo, H. Takano, M. Chihara & K. Matsuoka eds) . Uchida Rokakuho, Tokyo, p. 162-331.