Fultoportula

1. A process through which a thread of organic material is extruded, consisting of (1) a narrow tube through the basal siliceous layer surrounded by struts and satellite pores and (2) the external tube, which may be missing except for the basal chamber (specific to Thalassiosiraceae). Also called a strutted process.
2. A tube that penetrates the basal siliceous layer and is supported internally by two or more buttresses. Fultoportulae are associated with two to five satellite pores. At least three different types of fultoportulae have been identified. Fultoportulae are associated with the secretion of fibrils and are typically further subdivided by their position on the valve as either marginal fultoportula (mfp) or central fultoportula (cfp) (Round, Crawford, & Mann, 1990).
   

References

• Hasle, G.R. & Syvertsen, E.E., 1996. Marine Diatoms. In C.R. Tomas (ed), Identifying Marine Diatoms and Dinoflagellates. Academic Press, Inc., California. pp. 5-385.

• Round, F.E., Crawford, R.M. & Mann, D.G., 1990. The Diatoms: Biology and morphology of the genera. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. 747 pp.

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