32 ALGAE IN PHYTOPLANKTON OF THE UNITED STATES 



Division Chlorophyta 

 Class Chlorophyceae 

 Order Chlorococcales 

 Family Oocystaceae 

 GENUS KIRCHNERIELLA Schmidle, 1893 (fig. 10) 



MORPHOLOGY 



Cells are generally acute or lunate and attenuated. Cell apices are 

 often in close proximity. A single chromatophore is parietal on convex 

 side of cell or entirely fills the cells. Cells are arranged loosely in groups 

 of 4 or 8 within a wide gelatinous envelope. Colony may be as much as 

 250 ^im in diameter. 



REPRODUCTION 



Cellular division results in 4 to 8 autospores that separate as the 

 parent-cell wall gelatinizes. 



OCCURRENCE 



The genus rarely occurs in great numbers and often is found inter- 

 mingled among other algae. It generally is indicative of acidic condi- 

 tions. 



ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 



Standard 

 Range Mean deviation 



Temperature degrees Celsius 0.0 ■ 



pH 3.7 - 



Dissolved oxygen milligrams per liter .1 - 



Specific conductance micromho 10 



Total alkalinity milligrams per liter 6 



Total hardness do 6 



Total nitrogen do .00- 



Total phosphorus do .0 - 



SPECIES INFORMATION 



Refer to West (1908), Smith (1920), and Prescott (1962). 



