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| NAS - Nonindigenous Aquatic Species |
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Common Name: diatom
Synonyms and Other Names: Biddulphia laevis
Taxonomy: available through 
Identification: Individual diatoms of this species exhibit centric to slightly elliptical valves and are cylindrical in side view. On each valve, one ocellus produces mucilage that allows it to connect to other cells, forming zigzag, filamentous chains that grow epiphytically, epilithically, or that simply form large mats. On individual cells, one ocellus-like process is apparent that appears intermediate between a thickened ocellus rim and a rimless pseudocellus. There are very small spines around the edge of the valves and granules on their surface (Aronson et al. 1975; Pfiester and Terry 1978; Kociolek et al. 1983; Compere 1984; Ferreira et al. 1999). The diameter of P. laevis ranges from 40–55 µm across (Pfiester and Terry 1978; Wujek and Welling 1981; Compere 1984).
Size: diameter 40-55 microns
Native Range:
Unclear. P. laevis is known from different regions of the world, including the south and midwestern United States, the west coast of Africa, and the North Sea (Mills et al. 1993).
Nonindigenous Occurrences: P. laevis occurred for the first time in 1978 in Lake Michigan at the Wyoming water treatment plant (Wujek and Welling 1981; Mills et al. 1993).
Ecology: P. laevis is typically a halophilic species. When it first occurred in Lake Michigan it was found in regions with higher chloride concentrations in comparison to other parts of the lake, and occurred at a concentration of 1% of the total phytoplankton population. It is frequently associated with increased nitrate concentrations. It has been recorded from hard freshwater, oligohaline, and mesohaline environments (Whitford 1956; Crayton and Sommerfeld 1979; Wujek and Welling 1981; Compere 1984).
Means of Introduction: P. laevis was very likely introduced in ballast water to the Great Lakes (Mills et al. 1993).
Status: Probably established.
Impact of Introduction: Unknown.
Remarks:
References
Aronson, J. G., J. R. Rosowski, and P. Kugrens. 1975. Scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope observations on the fresh water centric diatom Biddulphia laevis. Journal of Phycology 11(suppl.).
Compere, P. 1984. Some algae from the Red Sea Hills in north-eastern Sudan. Hydrobiologia 110(1):61-77.
Crayton, W. M. and M. R. Sommerfeld. 1979. Composition and abundance of phytoplankton in tributaries of the lower Colorado River, Grand Canyon region. Hydrobiologia 66(1):81-93.
Ferreira, M. T., A. Franco, L. Catarino, I. Moreira, and P. Sousa. 1999. Environmental factors related to the establishment of algal mats in concrete irrigation channels. Hydrobiologia 415:163-168.
Kociolek, J. P., M. A. Lamb, and R. L. Lowe. 1983. Notes on the growth and ultrastructure of Biddulphia laevis Bacillariophyceae in the Maumee River, Ohio, USA. Ohio Journal of Science 83(3):125-130.
Mills, E. L., J. H. Leach, J. T. Carlton, and C. L. Secor. 1993. Exotic species in the Great Lakes: a history of biotic crises and anthropogenic introductions. Journal of Great Lakes Research 19(1):1-54.
Pfiester, L. A. and S. Terry. 1978. Additions to the algae of Oklahoma. The Southwestern Naturalist 23(1):85-94.
Whitford, L. A. 1956.The communities of algae in the springs and spring streams of Florida. Ecology 37(3):433-442.
Wujek, D. E. and M. L. Welling. 1981. The occurrence of 2 centric diatoms new to the Great Lakes, USA. Journal of Great Lakes Research 7(1):55-56.
Author: Rebekah M. Kipp
Contributing Agencies: 
NOAA - GLERL
Revision Date: 6/20/2007 Citation for this information:
Rebekah M. Kipp. 2009. Pleurosira laevis. USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species Database, Gainesville, FL.
<http://nas.er.usgs.gov/queries/FactSheet.asp?speciesID=1699> Revision Date: 6/20/2007
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