Freshwater Algae ID

Many species of freshwater algae are very widely distributed and therefore an identification work written for one region can equally well be used in another.  Listed below are some useful floristic treatments for identifying freshwater algae in general or specific groups and frequently deal with regions or countries outside of the British Isles and occasionally have a worldwide coverage.
The most useful floristic guide for Britain and Ireland is The Freshwater Algal Flora of the British Isles  An Identification Guide to Freshwater and Terrestrial Algae, with a DVD-ROM accompanying the second edition published in 2011, edited by David M. John, Brian A. Whitton and Alan J. Brook.  Available from Cambridge University Press for £144.00 - click here for more information.
Most of the works mentioned below are readily available although others are out of print but can be obtained through the second hand book trade and are still useful despite outdated nomenclature and taxonomy. Always check the AlgaeBase website (http://www.algaebase.org/) for current taxonomy and nomenclature that are always undergoing revision.
 
General guides - cover most algal groups

  • Belcher H, Swale E (1976) A Beginner's Guide to Freshwater Algae  HMSO, London. 47 pp., 109 figs.  Available to download  www.nora.nerc.ac.uk/5209/1/Algae.pdf
  • Belcher H, Swale E (1979) An Illustrated Guide to River Phytoplankton HMSO, London. 64 pp, 109 figs.  Available to download https://www.scribd.com/document/362252021/Illustrated-river-phytoplankto...
  • Burchardt L. (ed.) (2014 Key to Identification of Phytoplankton Species in Lakes and Rivers W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Krakow
  • Pentecost A (1984) Introduction to Freshwater Algae. Richmond Publishing Co., Richmond, UK.  247 pp., 48 pls.
  • Prescott GW (1983) How to Know the Freshwater Algae. 3rd edn. Brown, WC, Iowa. 293 pp,  578 figs.  First edn 1954. Re-issued on several occasions. Available online is the 1st edn at http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/26337#page/4/mode/1up

General freshwater algae

  • Bellinger EG, Sigee DC (2015) Freshwater Algae: Identification, Enumeration and Use as Bioindicators. Wiley & Sons. 296 pp.     
  • Canter-Lund H, Lund JWG (1995) Freshwater Algae  their Microscopic World Explored. BioPress, Bristol. 360 pp., 646 pls.
  • Dillard GE (1999) Common Freshwater Algae of the United States. An Illustrated Key to the Genera (Excluding the Diatoms).  J. Cramer, Berlin, Stuttgart. 173 pp.
  • John DM, Whitton BA, Brook AJ (eds) (2002) The Freshwater Algal Flora of the British Isles an Identification Guide to Freshwater and Terrestrial Algae  Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 702 pp.         
  • John DM, Whitton BA, Brook AJ (eds) (2011) The Freshwater Algal Flora of the British Isles an Identification Guide to Freshwater and Terrestrial Algae. 2edn.  Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 878 pp.
  • Linne von Berg K-H, Hoef-Emden K, Marin B, Melkonian, M  (2004)  Die Kosmos- Algenführer. Franckh-Kosmos Verlags. 366 pp.     
  • Lubomira B (ed) (2014) Key to Identification of Phytoplankton Species in Lakes and Rivers. Guide for laboratory classes and field research. W. Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków. 188 pp, 202 figs. 
  • Prescott GW (1962) Algae of  the Western Great Lakes Area with an Illustrated Key to the Genera of Desmids and Freshwater Diatoms. Revised edn. Brown WC, Iowa. 977 pp, 143 figs.   Reprinted in 1982 by Otto Koeltz Science Publishers.
  • West GS, Fritsch FE (1927) A Treatise on British Freshwater Algae. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Facsimile edition printed in 1968 as Vol. 3 of Bibliotheca Phycologica. J. Cramer, Lehre.

Guides to groups - freshwater green algae

  • Ettl H (1983) Chlorophyta I – Phytomonadina. In: Ettl H,Gerloff J, Heynig H,  Mollenhauer D (eds) Sußwasserflora von Mitteleuropa 9. Fischer, Stuttgart. 807 pp.
  • Ettl H, Gärtner G (1988) Chlorophyta II: Tetrasporales, Chlorococcales, Gloeodendrales. Süsswasserflora von Mitteleuropa 10. Fischer, Stuttgart. 436 pp.
  • Hindák F. (2001) Fotografický Atlas Mikroskopický Sinίc. VEDA. Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava.
  • Komarek J, Fott B (1983) Chlorophyceae (Grunalgen) Ordnung: Chlorococcales. Das Phytoplankton des Sußwassers. In: Die Binnengewasser XVI, 7(1). Schweizerbart’sche, Stuttgart. 1044 pp.

Guides to groups - freshwater green algae - desmids

  • Brook AJ, Williamson DB (2010) A Monograph on some British Desmids (eds  Price JH, Evans, NJ). The Ray Society, London. 364 pp.
  • Coesel PFM, Meerster KJ (2007) Desmids of the Mesotaeniaceae and Desmidiaceae of the European Lowland. KNNV, Zeist, The Netherlands. 352 pp.
  • Coesel PFM, Meerster KJ (2013) European Flora of the Desmid Genera Staurastrum and Staurodesmus  KNNV, Zeist, The Netherlands. 358 pp.
  • John DM, Williamson DB. (2009) A Practical Guide to the Desmids of the West of Ireland Martin Ryan Institute, Galway. 196 pp.
  • Lind EM, Brook AJ (1980) A Key to the Commoner Desmids of the English Lake District. FBA Scientific Publication 42. 123 pp, 171 figs.
  • Růžička J (1977) Die Desmidiaceen Mitteleuropas 1(1). Schweizerbart'sche, Stuttgart. 292 pp.
  • Růžička J (1981) Die Desmidiaceen Mitteleuropas 1(2). Schweizerbart'sche, Stuttgart. pp. 293–736
  • West W, West GS (1904a, 1905a, 1911, 1912a, 1923) A Monograph of the British Desmidiaceae Vols. I–IV. [Vol. V by Carter N]. The Ray Society, London. Searchable/browsable images on website: http://rbg-web2.rbge.org.uk/DIADIST/index.htm?desmids.htm&main

Guides to groups - freshwater green algae - charophytes

  • Moore JA (1986) Charophytes of Great Britain and Ireland. BSBI Handbook  5. 40 pp, 33 pls.    
  • Mouronval J-P, Baudouin S, Borel N, Soulié-Märsche I, Klesczewski M, Grillas P (2016) Guide des Characees de France méditerranéenne. Office National de la Chasse et de la Faune Sauvage.  214 pp. ISBN-13: 9782856920206
  • Urbaniak J, Gąbka M (2014) Polish Charophytea An Illustrated Guide to Identification. Wroclaw University Environmental and Life Sciences (Uniwersytet Przyrodniczy we Wrocławiu, Wrocław).  ISBN 978-83-7717-166-0  Hard copy price 40 Euros plus shipping. Email wydüp.wroc.pl 

Guides to groups - freshwater red and brown algae

  • Eloranta P, Kwandrans J (2007) Freshwater Red Algae (Rhodophyta) Identification Guide to European taxa, particularly to those in Finland  Norrlinia 15: 1-103.
  • Eloranta P, Kwandrans J (2012) Illustrated Guidebook to Common Freshwater Red Algae  W.Szafer Institute of Botany, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lubicz. 49 pp.
  • Eloranta P, Kwandrans J, Kusel-Fetzmann E (2011) Rhodophyta and Phaeophyceae. Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa 7. Springer. 155 pp.

Guides to groups - freshwater diatoms

  • Barber HG, Haworth EY (1981) A Guide to the Morphology of the Diatom Frustule with a Key to the British Freshwater Genera. FBA Scientific Publication 44. 112 pp., 144 figs
  • Cantonati M, Kelly MG, Lange-Bertalot H (2017) Freshwater Benthic Diatoms of Central Europe. Over 800 Common Species Used in Ecological Assessment. English edn with updated and added species.  3570 figs, 135 pls, 942 pp.
  • Cox EJ (1996) Identification of Freshwater Diatoms from Live Material. Chapman & Hall, London. 158 pp 
  • Kelly MG (2000) Identification of Common Benthic Diatoms in Rivers. Field Studies Council Publication 9: 583-700.
  • Kelly MG, Bennion H, Cox EJ, Goldsmith J, Jamieson J, Juggins S, Mann DG, Telford RJ (2005)  Common Freshwater Diatoms of Britain and Ireland: an Interactive Key. Environment Agency, Bristol.  ISBN10 1844327051
  • Krammer K, Lange-Bertalot H (1986-1991) Die Süsswasserflora von Mitteleuropa 2: Bacillariophyceae. Fischer, Stuttgart. 4 volumes.

Guide to groups - euglenophytes

  • Ciugulea I, Triemer RE (2010) A Color Atlas of Photosynthetic Euglenoids.  Michigan State University Press, East Lansing, MI.  232 pp. 
  • Wołowski K, Hindák F (2005) An Atlas of Euglenophytes.  VEDA, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Bratislava. 136 pp.  

Freshwater Cyanobacteria

  • Komárek J, Anagnostidis K  (2001) Cyanoprokaryota: Oscillatoriales.  Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa 19(2). Spektrum Akademische Verlag. 750 pp.
  • Komárek J, Anagnostidis K  (2001) Cyanoprokaryota: Oscillatoriales. Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa 19(2). Spektrum Akademische Verlag. 750 pp.
  • Komárek J (2014) Cyanoprokaryota: Nostocales and Stigonematales. Süßwasserflora von Mitteleuropa 19(3). Springer Spektrum. 1130 pp.
  • McGregor GB (2007) Freshwater Cyanoprokaryota of North-Eastern Australia  1:Oscillatoriales.  Flora of Australia Supplementary Series Number 24.  Australian Biological Resources Study, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601, Australia. 123 pp.   
  • Whitton BA, Balbi DM, Donaldson A (2003)  Blue-Green Algae of the British Isles Interactive Key to the Species. (CD-ROM) School of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, University of Durham DH1 3LE   ISBN 0-9538842-0-1.