Page 21 - Algae

4 Algae: Anatomy, Biochemistry, and Biotechnology

TABLE 1.2
Distribution of Algal Divisions

Division Common Name Habitat
Marine Freshwater Terrestrial Symbiotic
Cyanophyta Blue-green algae Yes Yes Yes Yes
Prochlorophyta n.a. Yes n.d. n.d. Yes
Glaucophyta n.a. n.d. Yes Yes Yes
Rhodophyta Red algae Yes Yes Yes Yes
Heterokontophyta Golden algae Yes Yes Yes Yes
Yellow-green algae
Diatoms
Brown algae
Haptophyta Coccolithophorids Yes Yes Yes Yes
Cryptophyta Cryptomonads Yes Yes n.d. Yes
Chlorarachniophyta n.a. Yes n.d. n.d. Yes
Dinophyta Dinoflagellates Yes Yes n.d. Yes
Euglenophyta Euglenoids Yes Yes Yes Yes
Chlorophyta Green algae Yes Yes Yes Yes
Note: n.a., not available; n.d., not detected.

Ochromonas (Heterokontophyta) (Figure 1.2) is an example of motile unicell. Other algae exist as
aggregates of several single cells held together loosely or in a highly organized fashion, the
colony. In these types of aggregates, the cell number is indefinite, growth occurs by cell division
of its components, there is no division of labor, and each cell can survive on its own. Hydrurus

TABLE 1.3
Thallus Morphology in the Different Algal Divisions
Unicellular Unicellular Colonial Colonial
and and and and Parenche-
Division non-motile motile non-motile motile Filamentous Siphonous matous
Cyanophyta Synechococcus n.d. Anacystis n.d. Calothrix n.d. Pleurocapsa
Prochlorophyta Prochloron n.d. n.d. n.d. Prochlorothrix n.d. n.d.
Glaucophyta Glaucocystis Gloeochaete n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d.
Rhodophyta Porphyridium n.d. Cyanoderma n.d. Goniotricum n.d. Palmaria
Heterokontophyta Navicula Ochromonas Chlorobotrys Synura Ectocarpus Vaucheria Fucus
Haptophyta n.d. Chrysochro- n.d. Corym- n.d. n.d. n.d.
mulina bellus
Cryptophyta n.d. Cryptomonas n.d. n.d. Bjornbergiella n.d. n.d.
Dynophyta Dinococcus Gonyaulax Gloeodinium n.d. Dinoclonium n.d. n.d.
Euglenophyta Ascoglena Euglena Colacium n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d.
Chlorarachniophyta n.d. Chlorarachnion n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d. n.d.
Chlorophyta Chlorella Dunaliella Pseudo- Volvox Ulothrix Bryopsis Ulva
sphaerocystis
Note: n.d., not detected.