Home / Chlorophyceae /Colonies / Non-flagellated / Coelastrum
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Name derivation:
“Hollow star” – Hollow Coel- star –astrum
Classification:
Coelastrum Nägeli 1849; 22 of 59 species descriptions are currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 20132). Order Sphaeropleales; Family Scenedesmaceae
Morphology:
Free floating colonies usually spherical, cuboid, or pyramidal and widely varying numbers of individual cells. Individual cells are connected by their cell walls which look smooth but may have wrinkles that hold the cells together.
Similar genera:
Habitat:
Freshwater from arctic to sub-tropical, but most often in eutrophic environments.
References:
Guiry, M.D. and G.M. Guiry 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 15 September 2013. Patterson, D.J. 1996. Free-Living Freshwater Protozoa. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Nägeli, C. 1849. Gattungen einzelliger Algen, physiologisch und systematisch bearbeitet. Neue Denkschriften der Allg. Schweizerischen Gesellschaft für die Gesammten Naturwissenschaften 10(7): i-viii, 1-139, pls I-VIII.