Chaetoceros socialis

Fig 1: Schematic drawings of Chaetoceros socialis chains; a. vegetative cells, b. cells producing resting spores.

Fig 2: Lugol's stained colony of cells

Fig 3: Part of a live colony showing some cells and a strand of several long setae (arrow) connecting different chains in the colony

Fig 6: Large colony of C. socialis cells under light microscope.

Fig 8: Small colony of C. socialis cells under light microscope.

Chaetoceros socialis (key-toss-err-oss sew-see-ah-liss), a centric diatom in with long spines. In this species dozens or hundreds of cells are linked loosely together by their spines. Common in marine ecosystems. Dark ground.

Chaetoceros socialis (key-toss-err-oss sew-see-ah-liss), a centric diatom in with long spines. In this species dozens or hundreds of cells are linked loosely together by their spines. Common in marine ecosystems. Phase contrast.

This species consists of very small cells which are united into curved chains. Cells have three short setae and one long one which causes the formation of larger secondary colonies by linking up in the centre of the colony with the long setae of other chains