Abstract
Three centric taxa are described from a diatomite deposit in the Harz mountains, Niedersachsen, Germany. The delimination of Cyclotella, Cyclostephanos and Stephanodiscus is discussed and a tighter generic circumscription proposed. Cyclotella radiosa cf. var. pliocaenica is explored and a new genus Pliocaenicus is erected together with two new species, P. hercynicus and P. undulatus. Cyclostephanos pygmaea, C. costatus, C. omarensis and C. pantocseki are also transferred to Pliocaenicus.