Аннотация:Originally, according to Round et al. (1990), family Stauroneidaceae D.G. Mann included two genera
Stauroneis and Craticula. The family is characterized by solitary naviculoid cells, with two plastids
arranged with one against each side of the girdle and occasionally the plates are connected by
a narrow central isthmus (Stickle & Mann 1988). Striae are uniseriate and they include small circular
or rectangular areolae. Areolae are covered by perforated hymenes internally (Round et al. 1990). The
genus Stauroneis is frequently diagnosed as having a stauros. The stauros is characterized as a hyaline, thickened transverse area (Cox & Williams 2000). Some of the Stauroneis species are characterized by the presence of pseudosepta on both valve ends. The genus Craticula does not have a stauros but some of the species from this genus create craticular valves. These valves are characterized by the presence of craticula as a system of distantly-spaced, stout transverse bars inside the frustule (Mann & Stickle 1991). Phylogenetic relationships of genera Stauroneis, Prestauroneis, Craticula, Karayevia, Madinithidium, Fistulifera, Parlibellus, Dorofeyukae are discussed on the basis molecular data from fragments of SSU and rbcL. Morphological features are discussed according to their use in diatom taxonomy. Implications for the higher classification of
raphid diatoms are discussed.