A flexible diatom! Can a flexible diatom exist?

This video is also available in English and Spanish on / @microuruguay
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Diatoms have silica cell walls that are rigid and fragile. So to imagine the existence of a flexible diatom is counter-intuitive. However, it seems that we have found one that might be a Nitzschia sp. This video should amaze all diatomists! We are continuing to investigate this issue.
--- We have now submitted a publication. This diatom is a Cylindrotheca and not a Nitzschia. It is not C. closterium, but perhaps a new species.
Film shooting: Carlos Gomez Revello (microuruguay) [e-mail]
Text and editing: Bernard Jenni (microbiolvideos.ch) [e-mail]

[@anastasiiakryvenda4221]

It’s probably Cylindrotheca fusiformis

[@BernardJenni]

Thanks for your comment. Initially, I thought of Cylindrotheca closterium but the frustule corresponds more to Nitzschia sp. We'll have to investigate further...

[@BruceDSTaylor]

@@BernardJenni Strange creatures! Following up on Dr. Kryvenda's comment, a search in Google Scholar turned up lots of references to "flexible rostra" in both Cylindrotheca fusiformis and C. closterium. Apparently, the rostra contain adhesives enabling the diatom to attach to a substrate, such as a copepod. Amazing to see them wriggling around like this. 😃

[@BernardJenni]

Hi Bruce! Thanks for your comment. I found most of these publications. If you grab inside, you'll see that the info concerning our issue is meager.