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How to interpret the results
Indicator taxa
Nutrient enriched ponds and lakes
Scroll to
Cryptophytes
Cyanobacteria
Diatoms
Euglenoids
Golden-brown algae
Green algae
Red algae
Water net
Cryptophytes
Cryptomonas
(Cryptomonadaceae)
Cell with rigid cell wall and motile
Factsheet
Cyanobacteria
Microcystis
(Microcystaceae)
Cells small, irregularly dispersed in homogenous jelly
Factsheet
Anabaena
(Nostocaceae)
Filaments composed of regular cells occasionally interrupted by specialised cells
Factsheet
Lyngbya
(Oscillatoriaceae)
Cells shorter than wide
Factsheet
Spirulina/Arthrospira
(Phormidiaceae)
Filaments are worm-like
Factsheet
Phormidium
(Phormidiaceae)
Most cells are as long as or longer than wide
Factsheet
Diatoms
Aulacoseira granulata
(Aulacoseiraceae)
Chloroplasts visible inside cells are brown
Factsheet
Naviculoid diatoms (Naviculaceae)
Central raphe
Factsheet
Cyclotella cf stelligera
(Stephanodiscaceae)
Circular
Factsheet
Euglenoids
Euglena
(Euglenidae)
Unicellular
Factsheet
Trachelomonas
(Euglenidae)
Cell with rigid cell wall and motile
Factsheet
Phacus
(Euglenidae)
Cell with rigid cell wall and motile
Factsheet
Golden-brown algae
Synura
(Synuraceae)
Cell contents (chloroplasts) are brown or golden-brown
Factsheet
Green algae
Actinastrum
(Radiococcaceae)
Cells long and thin, with tapering ends
Factsheet
Ankistrodesmus
(Radiococcaceae)
Cell outline long and thin
Factsheet
Chlamydomonas
(Chlamydomonadaceae)
Cell with rigid cell wall and motile
Factsheet
Chlorella
- like unicells (Chlorellaceae)
Cells containing membrane-bound organelles
Factsheet
Chlorogonium
(Chlamydomonadaceae)
Cell with rigid cell wall and motile
Factsheet
Chodatella
(Oocystaceae)
Cell wall ornamented with spines
Factsheet
Cladophora glomerata
(Cladophoraceae)
Filaments are one cell wide
Factsheet
Closteriopsis
(Oocystaceae)
Cell outline long and thin
Factsheet
Closterium
(Closteriaceae)
Cell outline crescent-shaped
Factsheet
Coelastrum
(Radiococcaceae)
Colonies have regular structure
Factsheet
Desmidium
(Desmidiaceae)
Cells have constrictions between them
Factsheet
Diacanthos
(Oocystaceae)
Cell wall ornamented with spines
Factsheet
Dictyosphaerium
(Dictyosphaeraceae)
Cells connected by branching threads
Factsheet
Eudorina
(Volvocaceae)
Cells embedded in a mass of spherical jelly
Factsheet
Golenkinia
(Micractiniaceae)
Cell wall ornamented with spines
Factsheet
Micractinium / Errerella
(Micractiniaceae)
Colony is a tight mass of cells with long spines radiating outward
Factsheet
Microcystis
(Microcystaceae)
Cells small, irregularly dispersed in homogenous jelly
Factsheet
Nitella
(Characeae)
Structured as a main axis with whorls of branches at nodes
Factsheet
Oedogonium
(Oedogoniaceae)
Chloroplasts visible inside cells are green or yellow-green
Factsheet
Oocystis
(Oocystaceae)
Cells containing membrane-bound organelles
Factsheet
Pandorina
(Volvocaceae)
Cells embedded in a mass of spherical jelly
Factsheet
Pediastrum
(Hydrodictyaceae)
Colonies have regular structure
Factsheet
Polyedriopsis
(Chlorococcaceae)
Cell wall ornamented with spines
Factsheet
Scenedesmus
(Radiococcaceae)
Cells ellipsoidal
Factsheet
Selenastrum
(Oocystaceae)
Cell outline crescent-shaped
Factsheet
Spirogyra
(Zygnemataceae)
Cell wall is smooth and featureless
Factsheet
Tetraedron
(Chlorococcaceae)
Cell wall ornamented with spines
Factsheet
Westella
-like colonies (Dictyosphaeriaceae)
Cells connected by branching threads
Factsheet
Zygnema
(Zygnemataceae)
Cell wall is smooth and featureless
Factsheet
Red algae
Batrachospermum
(Batrachospermaceae)
Branch are markedly unequal
Factsheet
Water net
Hydrodictyon
(Hydrodictyaceae)
Branch points roughly equal
Factsheet
![[Cryptomonas], Lake Tuakitoto, X1600. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/cryptomonas3__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Microcystis] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/microcystistrc__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Anabaena], Tomahawk Lagoon, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/anabaena2__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Lyngbya], X400. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/lyngbya2__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Spirulina] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/freshwater-invertebrates/spirulina__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Phormidium], X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/phormidium4__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Aulacoseira], Lake Hayes, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/aulacoseira__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Cyclotella], X1000. Photo: Phil Novis, Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/cyclotella_meneghiniana_phil1000__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Euglena] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/euglena640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Trachelomonas] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/trachelomonas400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Phacus] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/phacus400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Synura], Unitec stream, X200. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/synuraunitec__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Actinastrum] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/actinastrum640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Ankistrodesmus] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/ankistrodesmus400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Chlamydomonas], X1000. Photo: Phil Novis, Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/chlamydomonas_phil1000__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Chlorogonium] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/chlorogonium640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Chodatella] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/chodatella400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Cladophora], Wairuna River, Otago. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/cladophora2__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Closteriopsis] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/closteriopsis640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Closterium], Lake Tuakitoto, X640 . Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/closterium640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Coelastrum] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/coelastrum640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Desmidium], Duck Creek, Auckland, X50. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/desmidium50b__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Diacanthos] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/diacanthos640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Dictyosphaerium], Lake Rotoiti, X640. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/dictyosphaerium640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Eudorina], Moke Lake, Otago, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/eudorina400b__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Golenkinia] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/golenkinia640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Micractinium] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/micractinium400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Nitella], X9. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/nitella9__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Oedogonium], Shag River, north Otago. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/oedogonium3__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Oocystis] (sewage pond), X1000. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/oocystis1000__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Pandorina] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/pandorina640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Pediastrum] (sewage pond), X1000. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/pediastrum1000__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Polyedriopsis] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/polyedriopsis640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Scenedesmus] (sewage pond), X640. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/scenedesmus640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Selenastrum], Lake Rotoiti, X640. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/selenastrum640__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Spirogyra], X320. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/spirogyra320__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Tetraedron] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/tetraedron400b__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Westella] (sewage pond), X400. Photo: Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/westella400__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Zygnema], X320. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/zygnema320__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Batrachospermum], Lovells Creek, X11. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/batrachospermum11__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)
![[Hydrodictyon], Saltwater Creek, Hawkes Bay, X40. Photo: Otago Regional Council & Manaaki Whenua](/assets/Tools-And-Resources/Identification/algae/hydrodictyon40k__FillMaxWzMwMCwyMDBd.jpg)