PhycoKey logic
The logic of PhycoKey is to compare
morphology of organisms or artifacts encountered under a student microscope,
magnified in the range of 100x – 400x, with images in pages of the key.
An effort has been made to start with
the most apparent differences and at the largest taxonomic level included,
which is the “class” level, ending at the “genus” level. Several species within some genera are
illustrated, but not differentiated yet.
PhycoKey is a “work in progress” in
northeastern USA (NH), and to date includes mainly phytoplankton, freshwater as
well as some marine organisms. Plans
(and promises) are to include benthos, stream, and terrestrial protista, with
emphasis on photosynthetic genera.
