Culture and Nutrition of Some Apochlorotic Diatoms of the Genus Nitzschia

Abstract

SUMMARY Three distinct species of the genus Nitzschia, lacking chloroplasts and therefore obligately heterotrophic, were isolated in pure culture from various marine shores. The organisms reproduced rapidly in a defined medium based on an artificial sea water supplemented with mineral nutrients, thiamine and cobalamin. Lactate or succinate served as sole organic carbon source for all three species; two of the species also used glucose or glutamate. Two of the species were identified as N. putrida Benecke and N. leucosigma Benecke, respectively. The third organism appears to be a new species, here named N. alba.