Of Staurastrum volans W. & G. S. West, previously only known from Africa, a variety fuquenense COESEL is newly described from laguna Fuquene in the Colombian Andes. Judging from the ecological data of the localities in Colombia and from those recorded from African habitats, Staurastrum volans may be characterized ecologically as a planktonic desmid species that is well adapted to neutral to somewhat alkaline, eutrophic and unstable habitats.