Chaetoceros

Chaetoceros is a genus of diatoms in the family Chaetocerotaceae, first described by the German naturalist C. G. Ehrenberg in 1844. Species of this genus are mostly found in marine habitats, but a few species exist in freshwater. It is arguably the common and most diverse genus of marine planktonic diatoms, with over 200 accepted species. It is the type genus of its family.

Species in the genus Chaetoceros are found in marine waters all over the world, where they can often form algal blooms. Some strains grow quickly and produce high amounts of lipids, sparking interest in potential usage for biofuels.