Morphological variability of Acanthostomella norvegica

Morphological variability of Acanthostomella norvegica found in a single sample. The 18 cells shown were the first properly orientated cells encountered in sample aliquots from Station 17 of the 2017 cruise. Certain individuals shown (e.g., A and K) have lorica morphologies resembling those of a co-gener A. gracilis, first described as a variety of A. norvegica as they differ only in the near absence of an aboral horn. As shown here, the aboral point or horn appears to be quite variable.