Living Beings
    Commons candidate labeled Phaeodactylum tricornutum; subject review pending. Framed for display
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    Phaeodactylum tricornutum Pt1.jpg · Resized and converted to WebP for display. Identification awaits editorial review. R monteil · CC BY-SA 4.0

    Field guide · species

    Phaeodactylum tricornutum

    Bohlin, 1897

    What does the authority mean?

    The authority credits the formal scientific description of the name. A year records publication of that description.

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    BacillariophyceaeSurirellalesNeidiaceae

    Phaeodactylum tricornutum is a pennate diatom used to study photosynthetic marine eukaryotes. Its variable cell shapes and distinctive genome show that the diatoms are more diverse than one standard image of a glass-walled cell suggests.

    Public research profile · final editorial review pending.

    Compare species
    Tree of lifeScientific lineage
    1. LifeLife
    2. DomainEukaryota
    3. PhylumBacillariophyta
    4. ClassBacillariophyceae
    5. OrderSurirellales
    6. FamilyNeidiaceae
    7. GenusPhaeodactylum
    8. SpeciesPhaeodactylum tricornutum
    Advanced classification

    Complete source lineage, including intermediate ranks. The standard view uses Life and the eight principal ranks.

    1. cellular organisms cellular root
    2. Eukaryota domain
    3. Sar clade
    4. Stramenopiles clade
    5. Ochrophyta clade
    6. Bacillariophyta phylum
    7. Bacillariophyceae class
    8. Bacillariophycidae clade
    9. Surirellales order
    10. Neidiineae suborder
    11. Neidiaceae family
    12. Phaeodactylum genus
    13. Phaeodactylum tricornutum species
    Open in taxonomy explorer ↗

    Structure and identification

    This diatom can occur as oval, spindle-shaped or three-armed cells. A comparison of the Pt3 strain showed shared features of the plastid, nucleus and cytoskeleton across those forms, alongside differences in protein secretion. The oval form released proteins faster in that experiment, showing that changes in outline can accompany functional differences.

    Scientific source ↗

    Habitat and range

    Marine and coastal-associated culture conditions support this model diatom. Strain and environmental conditions affect the observed growth form.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Nutrition and metabolism

    Photosynthesis fixes inorganic carbon, with dissolved nutrients supplying the other materials needed for growth.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Biological activity

    Cells respond to changing resources and conditions through physiological and morphological variation.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Reproduction and life cycle

    Vegetative cell division expands cultures. This account does not infer a sexual schedule merely from that of other diatoms.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Geographic distribution

    Authenticated isolates have individual collection records; their laboratory distribution should not be used as a global occurrence map.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Ecological role

    Diatoms participate in aquatic primary production and nutrient cycling, with species differing in physiology and structure.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Distinctive adaptations

    A genome shaped by gene-family changes and ancient gene transfers provides a varied metabolic repertoire.

    Scientific source 1 ↗ · Scientific source 2 ↗

    Evidence

    Sources

    Connected life

    No reviewed ecological connections in the collection yet.

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