“…When investigating diatoms with different types of valvar symmetry, the design of the asymmetry analysis would have to be adjusted to their respective symmetry groups. For example, three perpendicular geometric components of shape asymmetry can be decomposed in configurations with biradial symmetry that are typical for most araphid diatoms and several raphid genera, such as Frustulia, Luticola, Navicula, and Achnanthidium [19,20,23,57]. In addition, teratogenic shape asymmetry in genera with heteropolar valves, such as Gomphonema, Licmophora, and Didymosphenia [61], needs to be quantified based on the reflection of configurations across the apical axis.…”