Freshwater Algae Key

A1. NONMOTILE ALGAE WITHOUT CHLOROPLASTS: CYANOBACTERIA

A2. NONMOTILE ALGAE WITH CHLOROPLASTS

B1. CELLS USUALLY SOLITARY

B2. NONMOTILE COLONIES WITH TWO OR MORE CELLS

B3. FILAMENTOUS ALGAE (INCLUDING PSEUDOFILAMENTS)

B4. CELLS ATTACHED TO ZOOPLANKTON (EPIZOIC), LIVING INSIDE ZOOPLANKTON OR OTHER AQUATIC ANIMALS (ENDOZOIC), OR ATTACHED TO AQUATIC PLANTS (EPIPHYTIC)

C1. CELLS ATTACHED TO ZOOPLANKTON (EPIZOIC) OR LIVING INSIDE ZOOPLANKTON OR OTHER AQUATIC ANIMALS (ENDOZOIC)

C2. CELLS SOLITARY, ATTACHED TO AQUATIC PLANTS (EPIPHYTIC)

D1. PROTOPLAST (LIVING PORTION OF CELL) ENCLOSED IN RIGID LORICA

E1. LORICA ATTACHED BY THIN BAND THAT ENCIRCLES PLANT SUBSTRATE: Chyrsopyxis

E2. LORICA ATTACHED BY LONG STIPE: Stylochrysalis

E3. LORICA ATTACHED BY SHORT OR LONG STIPE: Derepyxis

E4. LORICA SESSILE; CELLS FLASK-SHAPED, USUALLY ORANGE OR BROWN: Lagynion

E5. LORICA SESSILE OR ATTACHED BY SHORT STIPE; CELLS TRUMPET-SHAPED OR CYLINDRICAL: Epipyxis

D2. CELLS NOT ENCLOSED IN RIGID LORICA; CELL WALL MAY BE RIGID OR FLEXIBLE

C3. CELLS FORMING COLONIES; ATTACHED TO PLANTS (EPIPHYTIC)

C4. CELLS JOINED OR POSITIONED END-TO-END IN FILAMENTS OR PSEUDOFILAMENTS; FILAMENTS ATTACHED TO AQUATIC PLANTS (EPIPHYTIC)

A3. MOTILE ALGAE WITH CHLOROPLASTS AND FLAGELLA

A4. CELLS DIVIDED INTO MIRROR-IMAGE SEMI-CELLS: Desmids (see key at cedar.wwu.edu/cedarbooks/14/ )

A5. CELLS ENCLOSED IN GLASSY, ORNAMENTAL FRUSTULES: Diatoms (see key at diatoms.org)