Phormidium / Lyngbya
General Description
- Phormidium and Lyngbya are filamentous, benthic cyanobacteria
- Filaments are generally matted or attached to the sediment
- A mucilagenous sheath may or may not be seen
- Filaments often taper with cells described as barrel-shaped
- Lyngbya can be planktonic, referred to as a species called "limnetica" that are short and segemented
- Benthic mats are generally dark green to black in color
