The diatom genus Ctenophora: A discussion on its morphology, relationships, and some species

Abstract

The diatom genus Ctenophora is examined for its morphological characters and its relationships. Some aspects of the nomenclature of the genus are clarified with respect to various specimens identified as Ctenophora pulchella, Ctenophora saxonica and Ctenophora vertebrata. The focus is on the structure of the valves and girdle rather than a complete account of the species-level diversity in Ctenophora. General conclusions are (1) Ctenophora is not a monotypic genus; (2) the relationships of Ctenophora will include ‘Fragilaria’ famelica, Catacombas (= Synedra) and the various groups within the paraphyletic Tabularia.