Tessellaria volvocina rediscovered

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Abstract
Tessellaria volvocina, a rare colonial chrysomonad, has been rediscovered in Australia after 70 years. It is much as originally described but modern microscopical methods have shown the putative mucilaginous colonial investment to be a multilayered covering of siliceous scales. This differs from the scale-case of Synura and other scaled colonial chrysophytes in that the entire colony, not individual cells, is clothed by the scales. Initial evidence points to a position within the Synurophyceae and possibly a relationship with Synura lapponica. It has a continental but disjunct distribution in Australia.