Epithemia is a genus of diatoms belonging to the family Rhopalodiaceae.[1]

Epithemia
Epithemia sorex
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Diaphoretickes
Clade: SAR
Clade: Stramenopiles
Phylum: Gyrista
Subphylum: Ochrophytina
Class: Bacillariophyceae
Order: Rhopalodiales
Family: Rhopalodiaceae
Genus: Epithemia
F.T.Kützing, 1844

The genus has cosmopolitan distribution.[1]

They have recently been linked to nitrogen fixation and can be a possible indicator of eutrophication. This is because levels of epithemia “containing cyanobacteria endosymbionts, decreased with increased ambient inorganic N concentrations” (Stancheva 2013).[2] Concentrations of members of the epithemia genus existing with cyanobacteria endosymbionts would mean that there is more fixed nitrogen in the ecosystem. It could act as an early indicator of nutrient overload.

Species edit

Species:[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b c "Epithemia F.T.Kützing, 1844". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 23 April 2021.
  2. ^ Stancheva, Rosalina; Sheath, Robert G.; Read, Betsy A.; McArthur, Kimberly D.; Schroepfer, Chrystal; Kociolek, J. Patrick; Fetscher, A. Elizabeth (2013-12-01). "Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria (free-living and diatom endosymbionts): their use in southern California stream bioassessment". Hydrobiologia. 720 (1): 111–127. doi:10.1007/s10750-013-1630-6. ISSN 1573-5117. S2CID 254550477.