形态特征：细胞为透镜形或圆柱形。直径为6~22微米。壳面圆而鼓起，着生一圈细长的刺与邻细胞的对应刺相接组成长链。刺的多寡差别很大，有8~30条。细胞间隙长短不一，往往长于细胞本身的长度。色素体数目1~10个，但通常呈现2个，位于壳面，各向一面弯曲。数目少的形状大。2个以上的色素体则为小颗粒状。细胞核在细胞中央。有增大孢子，形状圆，直径2~3倍于母细胞的直径。当链的直径是6微米时，增大孢子直径是17~20微米。 
  分布：本种是常见的浮游种类，广温广盐的典型代表。分布极广，从北极到赤道，从外海高盐水团到沿岸低盐水团，甚至在半咸水中皆有，但以沿岸为最多。曾多次引发赤潮。我国的各海区均有分布。

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