Diatom siliceous skeleton, Melosira

Kenneth Png & Marlene Thaler

Wellcome Collection

A close-up, digitally colored scanning electron micrograph shows a cluster of diatom skeletons against a black background. The diatoms are circular and oval, with intricate, radial patterns on their surfaces. False-coloured SEM of a siliceous skeleton of a diatom, Melosira. Diatoms are one of the most common types of phytoplankton and are found in most aquatic environments including fresh and marine waters. They have chlorophyll to capture sunlight and use photosynthesis to turn sunlight and carbon dioxide into oxygen, water and carbohydrate. Horizontal field width is 727 microns.