We have investigated the frustule ultrastructure of Baikalian Aulacoseira: A.baicalensis (K.Meyer) Sim. and of thin-wall, spore-producing Aulacoseira which has long been designated as A. islandica (O.Muller) Sim. or A.islandica ssp. helvetica (O.Muller) Sim. (now A.skvortzowii Edlund, Stoermer,Taylor). It was found that the disagreement on the name of spore-forming Aulacoseira is due to the destruction of its vegetative frustules in the process of breaking free of the organic content, while ultrastructure data on A.islandica from different Russia's regions can reflect signatures of different species.
A. baicalensis is characterized by great polymorphism. A. baicalensis starts its development from the initial cell (auxospore). The morphological characteristics of the frustule undergo the drastic changes in the course of the life cycle. It sequentially changes the morphology and structure of its valves. Its cells evolve through several stages of development:from cyclotella-like cells to narrow and short reproducing cells. In the influence zone of the Baikalsky Pulp-and-Paper Plant (BPPP), waste waters, disturbances in the frustule structure both in vegetative and generative cells have been detected.