Trichodesmium
Trichodesmium, or "sea sawdust", is a genus of filamentous cyanobacteria. They are found in nutrient-poor tropical and subtropical ocean waters.
| Trichodesmium | |
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| Trichodesmium bloom off the Great Barrier Reef | |
Scientific classification 
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| Unrecognized taxon (fix): | Trichodesmium |
| Species | |
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Trichodesmium contortum | |
They are most common around Australia and in the Red Sea, where they were first described by Captain Cook.
Trichodesmium is a diazotroph; that is, it fixes atmospheric nitrogen into ammonium, a nutrient used by other organisms. Trichodesmium is thought to fix nitrogen on such a scale that it accounts for almost half of the nitrogen fixation in marine systems globally.[1][2]
Trichodesmium Media
Diagnostic Drawing: Simple filaments: Trichodesmium, Oscillatoriales, Cyanobacteria
Trichodesmium erythraeum bloom, between Vanuatu and New Caledonia, SW Pacific Ocean.
Examples of Trichodesmium colonies sorted into morphological classes(A) radial puffs, (B) non-radial puffs, (C) tufts.
References
- ↑ Bergman, B.. 'Trichodesmium – a widespread marine cyanobacterium with unusual nitrogen fixation properties. FEMS Microbiol. Rev. 37 (3) (2012). p. 1–17. doi:10.1111/j.1574-6976.2012.00352.x.
- ↑ 'Marine Pelagic Cyanobacteria: Trichodesmium and other diazothrophs. (1991). Dordrecht.: Kluwer Academic Publishers.