Description of Netzelia
provided by BioPedia
Shell ovoid, circular in cross-section, pseudostome lobed with a thick organic rim or a necklace made of small idiosomes. Species of Netzelia differ from lobed species of Difflugia in their ability to build their test completely from endogenous siliceous elements (idiosomes) although they can use small sand grains, diatoms or undigested algal cell walls as supplementary building material. These xenosomes are always smoothed and modified by the deposition of silica. The idiosomes often have a nail like shape. All particles are held in position by perforated cement units and are arranged in a single layer. Outline usually regular, but one species (N. tuberculata) often has protuberances to give a mulberry-like appearance. Habitat: aquatic vegetation and sphagnum. Type species N. oviformis (Cash, 1909).
