Genus (Plantae): Corethron

Classification

Corethron Castracane, 1886; 7 of 15 species descriptions are currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 2013).

Order Corethrales; Family Corethraceae

Morphology

Centric diatom unicells are cylindrical and have convex dome-shaped valves, with several girdle bands. Conspicuous coronal spines (setae) exceed the length of the cell on each valve, and radiate away from the girdle at an acute angle. In addition a ring of shorter and hooked spines occur on only one of the valves. The cell contains several discoid to elongate chloroplasts.

Cell Size: Diameter (apical axis) = 20-40um, Length (pervalvar axis) = 20-150um

Distribution: Oceanic in the North Atlantic and North Pacific as well as Antarctic seas, sometimes found in inshore waters.

Reference: cfb.unh.edu