A new variety, striatior, of the diatom Stephanodiscus hantzschii Grun. (S.h.) with denser striae was described (Kalbe 1971). The legality of S.h. var. pusillus is confirmed by specimens from freshwaters of the north of Mecklenburg. The species S.h. probably consists in this region of several races with different peaks of valve diameter variation. The planctonic mass changing of S.h. and its forms in the three rivers Warnow, Malchiner Peene and Neukalener Peene and in the Lake Kummerow is represented. The differences of the average valve sizes in these waters are remarkable. Var. pusillus GRUN. appears to be a benthic mass form, too. High cell numbers and high cell volume sums are not developing ever simultaneously. Var. pusillus is not a suitable form for evaluating the saprobiological status, for it is adaptable to different ecological conditions. The species S.h. itself is a beta- to alphamesosaprobic organism, being able to produce high cell numbers within this range of saprobity.