About Gomphonema rajaguruii:
- It is a new freshwater diatom species.
- It was found in a semi-aquatic environment along the wet walls in Maharashtra’s popular hill station, Mahabaleshwar in Satara District.
- It was named after a veteran geo-archaeologist from the city, the late Professor S N Rajaguru.
- It is unique because it shows the characteristics of two genus – Gomphonema and Gomphoneis.
What are Diatoms?
- It is a photosynthetic, single celled organism.
- They are a major group of algae and form one of the most common forms of phytoplankton.
- They are found in almost every aquatic environment including fresh and marine waters.
- Diatoms have cell walls made of silica, Each species has a distinct pattern of tiny holes in the cell wall (frustule) through which they absorb nutrients and get rid of waste.
- Collectively, they are responsible for generating up to 50% of the oxygen produced globally each year.
