See text Chaetoceros is a genus of diatoms in the family Chaetocerotaceae, first described by the German naturalist C. G. Ehrenberg in 1844.

[4] Some strains grow quickly and produce high amounts of lipids, sparking interest in potential usage for biofuels.

Each frustule has four hollow processes called setae, or spines, that allow adjacent cells to link together and form colonies.

[11][12] Studies suggest that colonies of Chaetoceros serve as an important food source within the water column and major carbon contributor to the benthic environment.

Within the North Water, located in northern Baffin Bay, Chaetoceros has been reported to contribute about 91% of total phytoplankton cells serving as an important primary producer within this area.

Overall, intensive development of the species of the genus Chaetoceros in the Arctic Ocean has a significant impact on the biogeochemical cycle of organic carbon and silicon, as well as on a wide range of macronutrients, trace and rare earth elements.