120 ALGAE IN PHYTOPLANKTON OF THE UNITED STATES 



Division Cyanophyta 

 Class Cyanophyceae 

 Order Chroococcales 

 Family Chroococcaceae 

 GENUS GOMPHOSPHAERIA Kutzing, 1836 (fig. 54) 



MORPHOLOGY 



Cells are pyriform, obovoid, or cylindrical; when dividing, they are 

 heart shaped or obcuniform. Cells are peripherally distributed in a 

 single layer with long axes radiating in a globous colony. Each cell has 

 a distinct individual sheath, and each has a gelatinous projection at its 

 base. Projections from all cells are joined toward the center of the col- 

 ony. The colonial matrix is gelatinous. 



REPRODUCTION 



Reproduction is bv cell division and colony fragmentation. 



OCCURRENCE 



The genus is of widespread distribution in the euplankton and 

 tychoplankton of both soft-water and hard-water bodies. 



ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 



Standard 

 Range Mean deviation 



Temperature degrees Celsius 0.0 - 



pH 4.9 



Dissolved oxygen milligrams per liter .4 • 



Specific conductance micromho 32 



Total alkalinity milligrams per liter 4 



Total hardness do 9 



Total nitrogen do .01- 



Tota! phosphorus do .0 - 



SPECIES INFORMATION 



Refer to Smith (1920) and Prescott (1962). 



