ABSTRACTValves ofS. niagaraevar.niagaraeEhr. andS. niagaraevar.magnificaFricke from geographically dispersed sediment and plankton collections were observed by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (LM and SEM). Measurements made by LM can be arranged so that means and ranges of diameter, areolar density, or strial density intergrade from one population into the next. Mean diameter is negatively related to increasing areolar and strial densities. No unique features observable by SEM distinguish the two described varieties. Thus,S. niagaraevar.magnifica, having large diameter valves with low areolar and strial densities, may represent one end of a trend in overall variation inS. niagarae.At the opposite extreme are the populations with small valves and high areolar densities which are often erroneously referred to asS. astraea.Type material ofS. niagaraelies intermediate to these forms. Three populations considered in this study have distinct morphological characteristics. Valves from Yellowstone Lake sediments have spine placements distinctly different from valves of all other populations. Specimens from Lake Superior have nearly flat central areas. Ribs of valves from Grand Traverse Bay (Lake Michigan) are covered with granules.