June 1, 2018 (Vol. 38, No. 11)
Rating:
Strong Points: Good collection of species, photos included
Weak Points: Brief descriptions of each species
Platform:
iPad/iPhone/Android
Cost:
Free
Summary:
The Phyto app by Gano Technologies is the app for all of your phytoplankton identification needs! The homepage displays a list of photo thumbnails of the 47 species included in the app. By default, all species are shown; however, users can filter this list to display only marine or freshwater species. The size of the organism is given below the photo for almost all of the species. Clicking on any of the thumbnails reveals additional information about that species, including brief notes, the names of toxins produced by the species, and an audio pronunciation guide for the genus names. The app also includes a species identification guide based on the cellular composition and shape of the organisms, as well as a flashcard feature to practice identification of the various species.
