Desmid of the month
August 2005
Mesotaenium caldariorum
Most Mesotaenium
species are mutually hard to distinguish. M. caldariorum, however,
may be readily recognized by the conically attenuated cell poles. Like
other saccoderm desmids (Fam. Mesotaeniaceae) it is in particular to be
expected in ephemeral pools, so habitats that alternately dry out and
are flooded or wetted. The first find of M. caldariorum in the
Netherlands was only very recently. However, as it may be easily overlooked
presumably it is not as rare as supposed.
Cell of Mesoataenium caldariorum with one single, plate-like chloroplast. Notice the abruptly, somewhat conically attenuated cell ends.
Cell dimensions (L x B): 35 x 12 µm
