Chaetocerotaceae is a

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 ...

family ( Bacillariophyta). This family comprise the three

genera Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nomenclat ...

Attheya ''Attheya'' is a genus of small single celled diatoms. Some of these species were earlier regarded to belong to ''Chaetoceros'', or to '' Gonioceros'', the taxonomic status of some of these species are still debated.Crawford, R.M., Hinz, F. and K ...

'' T. West, '' Bacteriastrum'' Shadbolt and ''

Chaetoceros ''Chaetoceros'' is probably the largest genus of marine planktonic diatoms with approximately 400 species described, although many of these descriptions are no longer valid. It is often very difficult to distinguish between different ''Chaet ...

'' Ehrenberg. ''

'' is perhaps the largest and most species rich genus of marine planktonic diatoms. The taxonomic status within Chaetocerotaceae at present is somewhat unclear.

Description

The cells have

valves A valve is a device or natural object that regulates, directs or controls the flow of a fluid (gases, liquids, fluidized solids, or slurries) by opening, closing, or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves are technically fittings ...

with long

setae In biology, setae (singular seta ; from the Latin word for "bristle") are any of a number of different bristle- or hair-like structures on living organisms. Animal setae Protostomes Annelid setae are stiff bristles present on the body. Th ...

. Cells are often in unseparable chains, but may appear as solitary cells in some species. Chains are formed by fusion of silica between the setae. Endogenous

resting spores A resting spore is a resistant cell, used to survive adverse environmental conditions. Resting spore is a term commonly applied to both diatoms and fungi. In fungi A resting spore can be a spore created by fungi which is thickly encysted (has a t ...

are common and very different from normal vegetative cells.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2947532 Coscinodiscophyceae Diatom families