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Great Lakes Water Life Photo Gallery
Algae of the Great Lakes Region
All Great Lakes Algae

  

By Taxa

Stephanodiscus alpinus.  Courtesy of the University of Michigan

Diatoms

Dinobryon sp. Courtesy of Ohio University.

Chrysophytes

Sub-Division Chrysophyceae

Tribonema sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Xanthophytes

Sub-Division Xanthophyceae

Peridinium sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Dinoflagellates

Pediastrum sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Green Algae

Staurastrum gracile. Courtesy of Protist Information Server.

Desmids

Euglena sp. Courtesy of Ohio University

Euglenoids

Gonyostomum semen.  Courtesy of Pirkko Kokkonen,

Chloromonads

Bangia atropurpurea.  Courtesy of Kobe University

Red Algae

Sphacelaria sp. Courtesy of Hawaii Botany

Brown Algae

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By Form

Chlamydomonas sp.  Courtesy of Ohio University

Unicell

Oscillatoria sp.  Courtesy of Ohio University

Filament

Dinobryon sp.  Courtesy of Ohio University

Colony

Oscillatoria sp.  Courtesy of Purdue University

Macroscopic

Great Lakes Algae Species List

Division Chlorophyta - Green Algae
  • Class Chlorophyceae
    • Order Chaetophorales
    • Order Chlorococcales
      • Family Botryococcaceae
      • Family Characiaceae
        • Genus Characium *
          • Characium acuminatum
          • Characium ambiguum
          • Characium curvatum
          • Characium debaryanum
          • Characium falcatum
          • Characium gracilipes
          • Characium hookeri
          • Characium limneticum H
          • Characium obtusum
          • Characium operculum
          • Characium ornithocephalum
          • Characium pringsheimii
          • Characium rabenhorstii
          • Characium rostratum
          • Characium stipitatum

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      • Family Chlorococcaceae
      • Family Coelastraceae
        • Genus Coelastrum
          • Coelastrum astroideum#
          • Coelastrum cambricum*#
          • Coelastrum microporum*#H
          • Coelastrum morus#
          • Coelastrum proboscideum
          • Coelastrum reticulatum#H
          • Coelastrum scabrum H
          • Coelastrum speciosum
          • Coelastrum sphaericum
      • Family Endosphaeraceae
      • Family Hydrodictyaceae
        • Genus Euastropsis
          • Euastropsis richteri
        • Genus Hydrodictyon
          • Hydrodictyon reticulatum
        • Genus Pediastrum * De
          • Pediastrum araneosum
          • Pediastrum biradiatum
          • Pediastrum boryanum #H
          • Pediastrum braunii
          • Pediastrum duplex #H
          • Pediastrum glanduliferum
          • Pediastrum integrum H
          • Pediastrum kawraiskyi H
          • Pediastrum muticum
          • Pediastrum obtusum
          • Pediastrum sculptatum
          • Pediastrum simplex# De
          • Pediastrum tetras H
        • Genus Sorastrum
          • Sorastrum americanum
          • Sorastrum spinulosum
      • Family Oocystaceae
        • Genus Ankistrodesmus
          • Ankistrodesmus braunii*H
          • Ankistrodesmus convolutus H
          • Ankistrodesmus falcatus*#H
          • Ankistrodesmus fractus
          • Ankistrodesmus fusiformis *
          • Ankistrodesmus gelifactum *
          • Ankistrodesmus gracilis *#
          • Ankistrodesmus spiralis
          • Ankistrodesmus stipatatus *#
        • Genus Cerasterias
          • Cerasterias staurastroides
        • Genus Chlorella *#
          • Chlorella ellipsoidea
          • Chlorella vulgaris H
        • Genus Chodatellopsis ?*
        • Genus Closteriopsis *
          • Closteriopsis longissima#H
        • Genus Dactylococcus
          • Dactylococcus infusionum
        • Genus Dictyosphaerium
          • Dictyosphaerium ehrenbergianum*#
          • Dictyosphaerium pulchellum*#
        • Genus Dimorphococcus
          • Dimorphococcus lunatus
        • Genus Diplochloris?
          • Diplochloris lunata*
        • Genus Echinocoleum?*
        • Genus Echinosphaerella
          • Echinosphaerella limnetica
        • Genus Eremosphaera
          • Eremosphaera oocystoides
          • Eremosphaera viridis
        • Genus Excentrosphaera
          • Excentrosphaera viridis
        • Genus Franceia
          • Franceia droescheri*#H
          • Franceia ovalis*
        • Genus Gloedactinium?
          • Gloedactinium limneticum*
        • Genus Gloeotanium
          • Gloeotanium loitelsbergerianum
        • Genus Kirchneriella
          • Kirchneriella contorta*#
          • Kirchneriella elongata*
          • Kirchneriella lunaris
          • Kirchneriella obesa*
          • Kirchneriella subsolitaria
        • Genus Lagerheimia
          • Lagerheimia ciliata*#H
          • Lagerheimia citriformis#
          • Lagerheimia genevensis*#
          • Lagerheimia longiseta#
          • Lagerheimia quadriseta#
          • Lagerheimia subsalsa#
        • Genus Monoraphidium
          • Monoraphidium arcuatum#
          • Monoraphidium braunii*#
          • Monoraphidium contortum*#
          • Monoraphidium dybowski*
          • Monoraphidium gracilis#
          • Monoraphidium griffithii*
          • Monoraphidium irregulare*#
          • Monoraphidium minutum*#
          • Monoraphidium pusillum*#
          • Monoraphidium setiformae*#
          • Monoraphidium tortile*#
        • Genus Nephrocytium
          • Nephrocytium agardhianum*#
          • Nephrocytium ecdysiscepanum
          • Nephrocytium limneticum*#
          • Nephrocytium lunatum
          • Nephrocytium obesum
        • Genus Oocystis
          • Oocystis borgei*#H Do
          • Oocystis crassa*#
          • Oocystis elliptica*#
          • Oocystis eremosphaeria
          • Oocystis gigas
            • Oocystis gigas v. incrassata*#
          • Oocystis gloeocystiformis H
          • Oocystis lacustris*#
          • Oocystis marsonii*
          • Oocystis natans
          • Oocystis nodulosa*#
          • Oocystis novae-semliae
          • Oocystis panduriformis
          • Oocystis parva*#H
          • Oocystis pusilla*#H
          • Oocystis pyriformis#
          • Oocystis solitaria*#
          • Oocystis submarina*#
        • Genus Planktosphaeria
          • Planktosphaeria gelatinosa H
        • Genus Polyedriopsis
          • Polyedriopsis spinulosa
        • Genus Quadrigula
          • Quadrigula chodati
          • Quadrigula closteriodes#
          • Quadrigula lacustris*#H
        • Genus Schroederia
          • Schroederia judayi
          • Schroederia setigera*#
        • Genus Selanastrum (aka Selenastrum)#
          • Selanastrum bibraianum
          • Selanastrum gracile
          • Selanastrum minutum H
          • Selanastrum westii
        • Genus Tetraedron
          • Tetraedron armatum
          • Tetraedron arthrodesmiforme
          • Tetraedron asymmetricum
          • Tetraedron bifurcatum
          • Tetraedron caudatum H
          • Tetraedron constrictum
          • Tetraedron cruciatum
          • Tetraedron enorme
          • Tetraedron gigas
          • Tetraedron gracile
          • Tetraedron hastatum
          • Tetraedron limneticum
          • Tetraedron lobulatum
          • Tetraedron lunula
          • Tetraedron minimum*#H Do
          • Tetraedron muticum#H
          • Tetraedron obesum
          • Tetraedron pentaedricum
          • Tetraedron planctonicum
          • Tetraedron pusillum
          • Tetraedron quadratum
          • Tetraedron regulare*#
          • Tetraedron trigonum#
          • Tetraedron tumidulum
          • Tetraedron verrucosum
          • Tetraedron victoriae
        • Genus Treubaria
          • Treubaria planktonica*
          • Treubaria setigerum#
          • Treubaria triappendiculata#
        • Genus Trochiscia *#
          • Trochiscia aspera
          • Trochiscia granulata
          • Trochiscia obtusa
          • Trochiscia reticularis
          • Trochiscia zachariasii
        • Genus Westella
          • Westella botryoides
          • Westella linearis
        • Genus Zoochlorella
          • Zoochlorella conductrix
          • Zoochlorella parasitica
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      • Family Scenedesmaceae
        • Genus Actinastrum
          • Actinastrum gracilimum
          • Actinastrum hantzschii
        • Genus Crucigenia
          • Crucigenia apiculata
          • Crucigenia crucifera
          • Crucigenia fenestrata*
          • Crucigenia irregularis*
          • Crucigenia lauterbornii
          • Crucigenia quadrata*#H
          • Crucigenia rectangularis*#H
          • Crucigenia tetrapedia*
          • Crucigenia truncata
        • Genus Micractinium
          • Micractinium pusillum#H
          • Micractinium quadrisetum
        • Genus Scenedesmus
          • Scenedesmus abundans
          • Scenedesmus acuatus*
          • Scenedesmus acuminatus
          • Scenedesmus acutiformis H
          • Scenedesmus arcuatus*#H
          • Scenedesmus armatus*#H
          • Scenedesmus bernardii
          • Scenedesmus bicaudatus#
          • Scenedesmus bijuga*#H
          • Scenedesmus brasiliensis H
          • Scenedesmus brevispina#
          • Scenedesmus denticulatus#H
          • Scenedesmus dimorphus
          • Scenedesmus ecornis*#
          • Scenedesmus hystrix H
          • Scenedesmus incrassatulus
          • Scenedesmus longus H
          • Scenedesmus microspina#
          • Scenedesmus obliquus H
          • Scenedesmus opoliensis#H
          • Scenedesmus perforatus
          • Scenedesmus quadrata*
          • Scenedesmus quadricauda*#H
          • Scenedesmus securiformis*
          • Scenedesmus serratus H
          • Scenedesmus spinosus#
        • Genus Tetradesmus
          • Tetradesmus smithii
          • Tetradesmus wisconsinense
        • Genus Tetrallantos
          • Tetrallantos lagerheimii
        • Genus Tetrastrum
          • Tetrastrum glabrum*
          • Tetrastrum heteracanthum*
          • Tetrastrum punctatum
          • Tetrastrum staurogeniaeforme
    • Order Cladophorales
      • Family Cladophoraceae
        • Genus Basicladia
          • Basicladia chelonum
          • Basicladia crassa
        • Genus Cladophora
          • Cladophora callicoma
          • Cladophora crispata
          • Cladophora fracta
          • Cladophora glomerata
          • Cladophora insignis
          • Cladophora oligoclona
          • Cladophora profunda
        • Genus Pithophora H
          • Pithophora mooreana
          • Pithophora oedogonia
          • Pithophora varia
        • Genus Rhizoclonium
          • Rhizoclonium crassipellitum
          • Rhizoclonium fontanum
          • Rhizoclonium hieroglyphicum
          • Rhizoclonium hookeri
    • Order Cylindrocapsales
    • Order Microsporales
      • Family Microsporaceae
        • Genus Microspora *
          • Microspora amoena
          • Microspora crassior
          • Microspora elegans
          • Microspora floccosa
          • Microspora loefgrenii
          • Microspora pachyderma
          • Microspora quadrata
          • Microspora stagnorum
          • Microspora tumidula
          • Microspora willeana
    • Order Oedogoniales
      • Family Oedogoniaceae
        • Genus Bulbochaete
          • Bulbochaete alabamensis
          • Bulbochaete angulosa
          • Bulbochaete borealis
          • Bulbochaete brebissonii
          • Bulbochaete congener
          • Bulbochaete crenulata
          • Bulbochaete crassa
          • Bulbochaete crassiuscula
          • Bulbochaete dispar
          • Bulbochaete elatior
          • Bulbochaete furberae
          • Bulbochaete gigantea
          • Bulbochaete hiloensis
          • Bulbochaete insignis
          • Bulbochaete intermedia
          • Bulbochaete minor
          • Bulbochaete minuta
          • Bulbochaete mirabilis
          • Bulbochaete nordstedtii
          • Bulbochaete obliqua
          • Bulbochaete polyandria
          • Bulbochaete praereticulata
          • Bulbochaete pygmaea
          • Bulbochaete rectangularis
          • Bulbochaete regalis
          • Bulbochaete repanda
          • Bulbochaete reticulata
          • Bulbochaete scrobiculata
          • Bulbochaete sessilis
          • Bulbochaete setigera
          • Bulbochaete tenuis
          • Bulbochaete valida
          • Bulbochaete varians
        • Genus Oedocladium
        • Genus Oedogonium *#
          • Oedogonium abbreviatum
          • Oedogonium ackleyae
          • Oedogonium acrosporum
          • Oedogonium ahlstrandii
          • Oedogonium ambiceps
          • Oedogonium americanum
          • Oedogonium amplum
          • Oedogonium angustissimum
          • Oedogonium angustum
          • Oedogonium anomalum
          • Oedogonium areolatum
          • Oedogonium areoliferum
          • Oedogonium areschougii
          • Oedogonium argenteum
          • Oedogonium austale
          • Oedogonium autumnale
          • Oedogonium bohemicum
          • Oedogonium borisanum
          • Oedogonium boscii
          • Oedogonium brasiliense
          • Oedogonium braunii
          • Oedogonium calvum
          • Oedogonium capillare
          • Oedogonium capilliforme
          • Oedogonium cardiacum
          • Oedogonium carolinianum
          • Oedogonium ciliatum
          • Oedogonium concatenatum
          • Oedogonium crassiusculum
          • Oedogonium crassum
          • Oedogonium crenulatocostatum
          • Oedogonium crispum
          • Oedogonium croasdaleae
          • Oedogonium cryptoporum
          • Oedogonium curtum
          • Oedogonium cyathigerum
          • Oedogonium decipiens
          • Oedogonium depressum
          • Oedogonium diversum
          • Oedogonium echinospermum
          • Oedogonium epiphyticum
          • Oedogonium exocostatum
          • Oedogonium fennicum
          • Oedogonium fragile
          • Oedogonium gallicum
          • Oedogonium giganteum
          • Oedogonium globosum
          • Oedogonium gracilimum
          • Oedogonium gracilius
          • Oedogonium grande
          • Oedogonium gunnii
          • Oedogonium hians
          • Oedogonium hirnii
          • Oedogonium hispidum
          • Oedogonium howardii
          • Oedogonium hystricinum
          • Oedogonium idioandrosporum
          • Oedogonium inclusum
          • Oedogonium inconspicuum
          • Oedogonium intermedium
          • Oedogonium iowense
          • Oedogonium irregulare
          • Oedogonium itzigsohnii
          • Oedogonium kjellmanii
          • Oedogonium kozminskii
          • Oedogonium kurzii
          • Oedogonium laeve
          • Oedogonium landsboroughii
          • Oedogonium latiusculum
          • Oedogonium lautumniarum
          • Oedogonium longatum
          • Oedogonium longiarticulatum
          • Oedogonium macrandrium
          • Oedogonium macrospermum
          • Oedogonium magnum
          • Oedogonium magnusii
          • Oedogonium majus
          • Oedogonium megaporum
          • Oedogonium mexicanum
          • Oedogonium michiganense
          • Oedogonium microgonium
          • Oedogonium minisporum
          • Oedogonium minus
          • Oedogonium mitratum
          • Oedogonium monile
          • Oedogonium moniliforme
          • Oedogonium multisporum
          • Oedogonium nanum
          • Oedogonium nodulosum
          • Oedogonium oblongum
          • Oedogonium oelandicum
          • Oedogonium orientale
          • Oedogonium oviforme
          • Oedogonium pachydermum
          • Oedogonium paludosum
          • Oedogonium patulum
          • Oedogonium paucostritum
          • Oedogonium perfectum
          • Oedogonium pisanum
          • Oedogonium plagiostomum
          • Oedogonium plusiosporum
          • Oedogonium poecilosporum
          • Oedogonium polyandrium
          • Oedogonium porrectum
          • Oedogonium pratense
          • Oedogonium princeps
          • Oedogonium pringsheimi
          • Oedogonium psaegmatosporum
          • Oedogonium pseudo-boscii
          • Oedogonium pseudoplenum
          • Oedogonium punctatostriatum
          • Oedogonium pusillum
          • Oedogonium pyriforme
          • Oedogonium reinschii
          • Oedogonium richterianum
          • Oedogonium rivulare
          • Oedogonium rufescens
          • Oedogonium rugulosum
          • Oedogonium sancti-thomae
          • Oedogonium sawyerii
          • Oedogonium sexanulare
          • Oedogonium sinuatum
          • Oedogonium smithii
          • Oedogonium sociale
          • Oedogonium sodiroanum
          • Oedogonium spheroideum
          • Oedogonium spiralidens
          • Oedogonium spirostriatum
          • Oedogonium spurium
          • Oedogonium stellatum
          • Oedogonium striatum
          • Oedogonium subplenum
          • Oedogonium subsexangulare
          • Oedogonium suecicum
          • Oedogonium tapeinosporum
          • Oedogonium taphrosporum
          • Oedogonium tiffanyi
          • Oedogonium trioicum
          • Oedogonium tyrolicum
          • Oedogonium undulatum
          • Oedogonium upsaliense
          • Oedogonium urceolatum
          • Oedogonium varians
          • Oedogonium vaucherii
          • Oedogonium verrucosum
          • Oedogonium vulgare
          • Oedogonium welwitschii
          • Oedogonium westii
          • Oedogonium wolleanum
          • Oedogonium wyliei
    • Order Schizogoniales
    • Order Siphonales
      • Family Phyllosiphonaceae
      • Family Vaucheriaceae
        • Genus Dichotomosiphon
          • Dichotomosiphon tuberosus
        • Genus Vaucheria
          • Vaucheria aversa
          • Vaucheria geminata
          • Vaucheria hamata
          • Vaucheria longipes
          • Vaucheria nicholsii
          • Vaucheria ornithocephala
          • Vaucheria pachydermum
          • Vaucheria polysperma
          • Vaucheria orthocarpa
          • Vaucheria terrestris
          • Vaucheria sessilis
    • Order Sphaeropleales
    • Order Tetrasporales
    • Order Ulotrichales
    • Order Ulvales
    • Order Volvocales
    • Order Zygnematales
      • Desmids - Orders Desmidaceae, Gonatozygonaceae, Mesotaeniaceae
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      • Family Zygnemataceae
        • Genus Debarya
          • Debarya ackleyana
          • Debarya glyptosperma
        • Genus Mougeotia H
          • Mougeotia abnormis
          • Mougeotia americana
          • Mougeotia calcarea
          • Mougeotia capucina
          • Mougeotia cyanea
          • Mougeotia elegantula
          • Mougeotia floridana
          • Mougeotia genuflexa
          • Mougeotia gracilima
          • Mougeotia hirnii
          • Mougeotia laetevirens
          • Mougeotia laevis
          • Mougeotia maltae
          • Mougeotia micropora
          • Mougeotia nummuloides
          • Mougeotia parvula
          • Mougeotia pulchella
          • Mougeotia punctata
          • Mougeotia quadrangulata
          • Mougeotia reinschii
          • Mougeotia recurva
          • Mougeotia robusta
          • Mougeotia scalaris
          • Mougeotia sphaerocarpa
          • Mougeotia tumidula
          • Mougeotia varians
          • Mougeotia ventricosa
          • Mougeotia virescens
          • Mougeotia viridis
        • Genus Mougeotiopsis
          • Mougeotiopsis calospora
        • Genus Pleurodiscus
        • Genus Spirogyra H
          • Spirogyra aequinoctialis
          • Spirogyra affinis
          • Spirogyra borgeanna
          • Spirogyra borysthenica
          • Spirogyra catenaeformis
          • Spirogyra circumlineata
          • Spirogyra collinsii
          • Spirogyra communis
          • Spirogyra condensata
          • Spirogyra crassa
          • Spirogyra daedaleoides
          • Spirogyra decimina
          • Spirogyra dubia
          • Spirogyra ellipsospora
          • Spirogyra fallax
          • Spirogyra farlowii
          • Spirogyra flavescens
          • Spirogyra fluviatilis
          • Spirogyra fuellebornei
          • Spirogyra gracilis
          • Spirogyra gratiana
          • Spirogyra grevilleana
          • Spirogyra inconstans
          • Spirogyra inflata
          • Spirogyra juergensii
          • Spirogyra jugalis
          • Spirogyra laxa
          • Spirogyra longata
          • Spirogyra majuscula
          • Spirogyra maxima
          • Spirogyra micropunctata
          • Spirogyra mirabilis
          • Spirogyra nitida
          • Spirogyra novae-angliae
          • Spirogyra orientalis
          • Spirogyra porangabae
          • Spirogyra porticalis
          • Spirogyra pratensis
          • Spirogyra protecta
          • Spirogyra pseudofloridana
          • Spirogyra reflexa
          • Spirogyra rhizobrachialis
          • Spirogyra rivularis
          • Spirogyra scrobiculata
          • Spirogyra singularis
          • Spirogyra spreeiana
          • Spirogyra stictica
          • Spirogyra subsalsa
          • Spirogyra suecica
          • Spirogyra sulcata
          • Spirogyra tenuissima
          • Spirogyra teodoresci
          • Spirogyra triplicata
          • Spirogyra varians
          • Spirogyra weberi
        • Genus Temnogametum
        • Genus Zygnema
          • Zygnema carinatum
          • Zygnema chalybeospermum
          • Zygnema conspicuum
          • Zygnema cyanosporum
          • Zygnema decussatum
          • Zygnema insigne
          • Zygnema leospermum
          • Zygnema micropunctatum
          • Zygnema pectinatum
          • Zygnema stellinum
          • Zygnema sterile
          • Zygnema synadelphum
        • Genus Zygnemopsis
          • Zygnemopsis americana
          • Zygnemopsis decussata
          • Zygnemopsis desmidioides
          • Zygnemopsis minuta
          • Zygnemopsis spiralis
          • Zygnemopsis tiffaniana
        • Genus Zygogonium
          • Zygogonium ericetorum
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  • Class Charophyceae
    • Order Charales
  • Division Chrysophyta