Emiliania huxleyi coccolithophore

Figure 14.5. Crystal orientation and mechanism of formation of calcite constituting the segment of coccolithophores. Emiliania huxleyi is presented as an example [8].

Brand L. E. (1982) Genetic variability and spatial patterns of genetic differentiation in the reproductive rates of the marine coccolithophores Emiliania huxleyi and Gephyrocapsa oceanica. Limmnol. Oceanogr. 27, 236-245. 

Minor monosaccharides released upon hydrolysis of sediments can also provide source indications. For example, the methoxy (i.e. O-methyl) monosaccharides 3-O-methylxylose and 6-O-methylmannose are abundant in the coccolithophore species Emiliania huxleyi. Bacteria synthesize a wider range of these components together with deoxy monosaccharides (Klok et al. 1984a). 

Figure 1 Electron microscope images of some major coccolithophore species (a) Coccolithus pelagicus, (b) Calcidiscus quadriperforatus, (c) Emiliania huxleyi, (d) Gephyrocapsa oceanica, (e) Florisphaera profunda, (f) Discosphaera tubifera.

The average biomass is 83.69 mg/m. In winter, surface water of the SCS is laden with nitrate that supported the growth of typical non-diazotrophs such as diatoms and coccolithophores (Table 1.7). In the basin, coccolithophores and diatoms are more abundant in winter than in summer. Emiliania huxleyi is the most dominant coccolithophore in winter, and so are Umbellosphaera irregularis and U. tenuis in summer. In winter Chaetoceros spp. and Nitzschia spp. are the most prevalent diatoms while in summer Nitzschia spp. alone is the most dominant. The tendency of the phytoplankton assemblage in the SCS to have more Chaetoceros and E. huxleyi in winter, but more Umbellosphaera irregularis and U. tenuis, and no Chaetoceros in summer, is in compliance... 

Bi L, Yang P Impact of calcification state on the inherent optical properties of Emiliania huxleyi coccoliths and coccolithophores, J Quant Spectrosc Radiat Transf 155 10—21, 2015. 

---