RM
LM of the marine diatom Navicula lyra
Light micrograph of the marine diatom Navicula lyra. The diatoms are a distinctive group of single-celled algae containing about 10,000 species. They form an important part of the plankton at the base of the marine & freshwater food chains. The characteristic feature of diatoms is their intricately patterned, glass-like cell wall, or frustule. The frustule consists of 2 halves which fit together like the lid & bottom of a box. It is often decorated with rows of tiny holes, known as striae, which are arranged either radially or, as here, on the 2 sides of a central axis. Magnification: x80 at 35mm size.
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