Diatoms are a major group of
algae, and are among the most common types of
phytoplankton. Diatoms are
unicellular, although they can form
colonies in the shape of filaments or ribbons (e.g.
Fragilaria), fans (e.g.
Meridion), zigzags (e.g.
Tabellaria), or stars (e.g.
Asterionella). The first diatom formally described in scientific literature, the colonial
Bacillaria paradoxa, was found in 1783 by Danish naturalist
Otto Friedrich Müller. Diatoms are
producers within the
food chain. A unique feature of diatom cells is that they are enclosed within a cell wall made of
silica (hydrated silicon dioxide) called a
frustule. These frustules show a wide diversity in form, but are usually almost bilaterally symmetrical, hence the group name. The symmetry is not perfect since one of the valves is slightly larger than the other, allowing one valve to fit inside the edge of the other.
Fossil evidence suggests that they originated during, or before, the early
Jurassic period. Only male gametes of centric diatoms are capable of movement by means of
flagella. Diatom communities are a popular tool for
monitoring environmental conditions, past and present, and are commonly used in studies of water quality.