Life Cycle of Nitzschia palea (Kutzing) W. Smith (Bacillariophyta)

The diatom Nitzschia palea is a widespread eurybiontic alga that inhabits the benthos of freshwater ponds and watercourses, soils and caves. This species has a potential for biotechnological applications; therefore, knowledge on its biology is important. Although the species has been studied quite extensively, comprehensive information on its life cycle properties, including cardinal points, is still lacking. In this contribution, based on our own observations and literature data, we supplement and summarize the available information on the species' life cycle, including data on morphology, morphometry, teratological structures of valves and cardinal points. We also revealed a uniparental inheritance of the mitochondrial gene cox1 in N. palea. The data obtained will be important for phylogeography studies of the species, as well as provide fundamental basis for the technology of long-term maintenance of N. palea in culture.