Denticula Kutzing

Description

Frustules biraphid, linear to linear-lanceolate with acute to rounded apices, symmetrical to apical and transapical axes, canal raphe with distinct fibulae. Canal raphe opens internally by portules formed by expansion of fibulae at their bases. Raphe systems said to be diagonally-oriented on valves of their same frustule. Septa (or "septum-like structures", Round et at. 1990, p. 622) occur on the valvocopulae.

This genus has classically been included with Epithemia and Rhopalodia in the Epitemiaceae (e.g. Hustedt 1930; Patrick and Reimer 1975; Krammer and Lange-Bertalot 1988). Recently, Denticula has been suggested to be more closely related to Nitzschia and its allies by virtue of the "nitzschoid symmetry" of its raphe system (Round et al. 1990).

Light Microscope Image(s)

Each image is accompanied by the genus and species, California Academy of Sciences slide number (ie. CAS 612010), location of the specimen on the slide, and dimension in microns.