This study deals with the taxonomy of the marine diatom Ditylum brightwellii (West) Grunow: shape, size and ratio, marginal ridge, labiate process, areolation, and seasonal distribution are all considered. Ditylum brightwellii were divided into two type; prism- and cylinder-shaped. Comparisons between specimens from the Yellow Sea were made on, (1) shape- prism types are prismatic-shaped and/or regular square or right-angled tetragon, cylinder types are cylinder-shaped and/or long right-angled tetragon in the girdle view, respectively; (2) size and ratiodiameters of prism types are 82.1 ± 2 μm, while those of cylinder types are 21.2 ± 5 μm and ratio of pervalvar axis/diameter- prism types cells are 1.0-1.5, but cylinder types are 3.9-5.5; (3) marginal ridges- prism types have dotted, while those of the cylinder-type cells have piece, slotted or fimbriated on the marginal ridge; (4) labiate process- both prism- and cylinder-types are central part in valve face, but length of labiate processes of prism types are longer than those of cylinder types; (5) cell margin- the girdle margin show many shallow furrows in prism type and smooth in cylinder type; (6) areolation- both prism- and cylinder-types are a radial pattern in the valve center, but areolae of prism types are larger than those of cylinder types; (7) seasonal distribution- cylinder types are dominated in summer and prism types in the other seasons.