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Part of the phytoplankton, diatoms are unicellular algae that inhabit both salt- and fresh-water habitats.
All possess a cell wall made from silica that encapsulates the cell like a skeleton. This unique structure is called a frustule.
Diatoms are divided into three classes: Bacillariophyceae and Fragilariophyceae with bilateral symmetry, and Coscinodiscophyceae that are cylindrical.
The cells have yellow or light brown chloroplasts.
Author: Alistair Seddon.
Other Contributors: Stuart Banks, Margarita Brandt, Rodrigo Bustamante, Angel Chiriboga, Graham Edgar, José Miguel Fariña, Peter Glynn, Jack Grove, Alex Hearn, Cleveland Hickman, Paul Humann, Jerson Moreno, Fernando Pinillos, Fernando Rivera, Franz Smith, Marco Toscano, Mariana Vera, Luis Vinueza.
Names of taxa included: 79 total (76 accepted, 2 doubtful, 1 problematic).
Origin of the taxa included: 15 endemic, 54 indigenous, 1 questionable endemic.
Domain Eukaryota
Kingdom Chromalveolata
Division Bacillariophyta
Class Bacillariophyceae
Order Achnanthales
Order Bacillariales
Order Cymbellales
Order Fragilariales
Order Mastogloiales
Order Rhopalodiales
Order Striatellales
Order Surirellales
Order Thalassiophysales
Class Coscinodiscophycidae
Order Paraliales
Class Mediophyceae
Order Cymatosirales
Order Triceratiales
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