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Earth's oceans teem with microscopic plants called phytoplankton. But according to a 2015 NASA study, populations of diatoms, the largest type of phytoplankton algae ...
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These patterns are composed of a series of transverse lines (known as striae) that can appear as rows of dots when viewed with an optical microscope. Some pennate diatoms also exhibit a fissure along their longitudinal axis. This is known as a raphe, and is involved in gliding movements made by diatom cells; motile diatoms always possess a raphe.
Dinoflagellates and diatoms are important components of marine algae and have their own sections below. Euglenophytes are a phylum of unicellular flagellates with only a few marine members. Not all algae are microscopic. Green, red and brown algae all have multicellular macroscopic forms that make up the familiar seaweeds.
Diatoms are enclosed in protective silica (glass) shells called frustules. Each frustule is made from two interlocking parts covered with tiny holes through which the diatom exchanges nutrients and wastes. [156] The frustules of dead diatoms drift to the ocean floor where, over millions of years, they can build up as much as half a mile deep. [160]
The most accepted view is that Solenicola is a highly adapted epizoic or parasitic organism; other speculations are that Solenicola is a stage of the diatom life cycle. The diatom is a widespread species in the world ocean and several studies have investigated its morphology using scanning electron microscopy.
Diatomaceous earth is a soft, siliceous, sedimentary rock made up of the cell walls/shells of single cell diatoms and readily crumbles to a fine powder. Diatom cell walls are bivalve, i.e. made up of two halves, and are made up of biogenic silica; silica synthesised in the diatom cell by the polymerisation of silicic acid.