Cyclotella

Cyclotella is a genus of diatoms often found in oligotrophic environments, both marine and fresh water. It is in the family Stephanodiscaceae and the order Thalassiosirales. The genus was first discovered in the mid-1800s and since then has become an umbrella genus for over 100 different species, the most well-studied and the best known being Cyclotella meneghiniana. Despite being among the most dominant genera in low-productivity environments, it is relatively understudied.

Cyclotella habitat has traditionally been described as low-productivity mesotrophic or oligotrophic freshwater environments. However, it is unclear whether there is an archetypal aquatic setting for this genus as some species are more cosmopolitan, such as C. meneghiniana, which occurs in warm, nutrient-rich environments as well as low-productivity environments.