| Raphidocelis subcapitata | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Viridiplantae |
| Phylum: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Chlorophyceae |
| Order: | Sphaeropleales |
| Family: | Selenastraceae |
| Genus: | Raphidocelis |
| Species: | R. subcapitata |
| Binomial name | |
|
Raphidocelis subcapitata' (Korshikov) Nygaard, Komárek, J.Kristiansen & O.M.Skulberg |
|
Raphidocelis subcapitata, formerly known as Selenastrum capricornutum and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata is a microalga. This microalga presents a curved and twisted appearance like a sickle. The cells are normally presented in a solitary form. It has a length between 8 and 14 µm, and a width between 2 and 3 µm. It is commonly used as a bioindicator species to assess the levels of nutrients or toxic substances in freshwater environments. This species is quite sensitive to the presence of toxic substances including metals and has a ubiquitous distribution, so is broadly used in ecotoxicology.