A NEW DIATOM TERATOLOGY DRIVEN BY METAL POLLUTION IN A TEMPERATE RIVER (ROSIA MONTANA, ROMANIA)

The present study refers to the effect of metal pollution on diatoms by describing a new form of teratology. The samples were collected in the Abrud River, located in a mining area from Romania, where an unreported type of deformity is observed in the diatoms Achnanthidium sp. pl. This kind of teratology has been found in the 20.5% of individuals of the population and affects the cingulum, in particular to the valvocopula, by becoming markedly undulate.