What are desmids

(Project Update: Diatoms & Desmids of the U.S.A.)

Desmids are an order of single celled green algae with approximately 40 genera and 6,000 species. They are divided into two compartments separated by a narrow bridge or isthmus. This gives them the appearance of being two cells, but they are actually a combination of two semi-cells sharing a single nucleus which lies in the isthmus between them. They range in size between 50 and 250 microns. A micron is 1/1000 of a millimeter.

Desmids are photosynthetic, and so it had been usual for taxonomists place them in the Kingdom Plantae. However, as more is learned about their internal chemistry, it is becoming more common to place them in the Kingdom Protista with all other forms of micro-algae. Contrary to “common knowledge”, algae are not true plants.

Posted on April 25, 2013 12:57 PM by william_dembowski