''Bacillaria paxillifer'' is a colonial

diatom A diatom (Neo-Latin ''diatoma''), "a cutting through, a severance", from el, διάτομος, diátomos, "cut in half, divided equally" from el, διατέμνω, diatémno, "to cut in twain". is any member of a large group comprising sev ...

species in the family Bacillariaceae. Colonies of this diatom are motile. Members (with their long axes parallel to one another) slide against their neighbors in a coordinated fashion, allowing the entire structure to expand or contract. File:Bacillaria paxillifera.jpg, ''Bacillaria paxillifer'' File:Bacillaria paxillifer.tif, ''Bacillaria paxillifer''

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Plants described in 1951 Bacillariales {{Diatom-stub