ALGAE OVERVIEW

Cyanophyta Euglenophyta Pyrrophyta Chlorophyta Charophyta Xanophyta Bacillariophyta Phaeophyta Rhodophyta

Dinoflagellates Charophytes/ Golden-brown

Euglenoids Yellow-green
Common name Blue-green algae (“pastures of the Green algae Charales (stone/ algae (“Jewels of Brown algae Red algae
(“plantimals”) algae
sea”) brittleworts) the sea”)

Chlorophyll a & b, Chlorophyll a & b,

Chlorophyll a & c,
Phycocyanin, Chlorophyll a & b, β-carotene, carotene, Chlorophyll a & b, Chlorophyll a & d,
β-carotene, Chlorophyll a & c, β-carotene,
Pigments phycoerythrin, β-carotene, at least xanthophyll xanthophyll, carotene, carotenoids,
xanthophyll fucoxanthin
chlorophyll a one xanthophyll (peridin and pyrenoid usually xanthophylls phycoerythrin
(fucoxanthin)
dinoxanthin) present

Cyanophycean Chrysolaminarin, Floridean starch,

Food storage Paramylum, oils Starch, oils Starch Laminarin, mannitol, oils
starch leucosin oils

Inner: cellulose Cellulose, pectin,

Cellulosic, may be Cellulose or silica Cellulose, alginic
Cell wall No cell wall, Calcified, Outer: calcium, xylan
Peptidoglycan thecate or Cellulose, pectin (Diatoms), acid, sulfated
components pellicle cover cellulose phycocolloids + with a slimy outer
athecate sometimes none polysaccharides
algaenic acid later

Flagellated (tinsel: Flagellated Biflagellated

Flagellated (tinsel: Biflagellate →
one extended, one (whiplash) → bi- (unequal length)
Flagella Non-flagellated mastigonemes longer: tinsel Non-flagellated
in transverse or quadri- → longer: tinsel,
present) shorter: whiplash
groove) flagellated shorter: whiplash

Euthrophic 10% marine, 90% Freshwater, 98% marine, 2%

Habitat Freshwater Marine Freshwater Salt/freshwater
freshwater freshwater terrestrial freshwater

Cellular
Prokaryotic Eukaryotic
organization

Branching with
Unicellular, whorls (leaves)
Unicellular, Unicellular,
Unicellular, colonial, and anchored by Siphonous
Thalli Unicellular, never colonial, filamentous,
colonial, filamentous, rhizoids (vasicular and Filamentous
Organization united in colonies filamentous membranous,
filamentous membranous, (vegetative filamentous)
(simple/branched) foliaceous
siphons propagation) with
inter/nodes

Oogamy →
Asexual: cell div, Isogenerate (iso
antheridia
Unicellular: cell Asexual → cell zoospore (motile) Asexual: nuclear/ alt. of gen),
(surrounded by
Mode of division division aplanospore (non- cell div heterogenerate
Cell division shield cells) and
reproduction Filamentous: sexual reproduction motile) Sexual: (het. alt. of gen),
oogonia
fragmentation also present Sexual: iso-, auxospores cyclosporae (alt.
(surrounded by tub
aniso-, oogamy of 2N gen)
cells) on leaves

Produce algal
Economic
Nitrogen fixation Pollution indicatiors blooms that poison
importance
marine life

Gloeocapsa,
Oscillatoria, Diatoms (Order
Representative Ceratium,
Spirullina, Nostoc, Euglena, Phacus A LOT Chara Vaucheria centrales and
species Pyrodinium
Anabaena, pennales)
Rivularia
 CHLOROPHYTA
(unicellular, colonial, filamentous, membranous, coenocytic, calcareous)

Chlorella Closterium Cosmarium Protococcus

Organization Unicellular

Lobed/plate-
Cup-like, may like
Chloroplast or may not chloroplast,
type have a may or may
pyrenoid not have
pyrenoid

Fresh/
Habitat
saltwater, soil

Spherical
Two semi-cells that are mirror
solitary cells
Shape Spherical images, connected by the
clumped in
isthmus
masses

Ulothrix Oedogonium Cladophora Spirogyra Hydrodictyon Pediastrum Scenedesmus Volvox

Filamenous, Filamenous,
Organization Filamentous Organization Colonial Colonial, coenobic (flat plates)
unbranched unbranched

Band- Helica/spiral Parietal (attached

Segmented,
shaped shaped/ Chloroplast type to wall), contains a
net-like Netted/
Chloroplast chloroplasts ribbon-like pyrenoid
chloroplasts reticulate
type with more chloroplasts
with chloroplasts
than one
pyrenoids
pyrenoid Pools, lakes, Pools and lakes, in
Habitat
streams plankton
Epiphyte -
attaches self
Salt/ Salt/ Known as
Habitat to other Thousands of cells
freshwater freshwater pond scum Colonies are Uninucleate with
algae/plants/ connected by
stones Shape polygonal with spine-like
protoplasmic
cylindrical shape processes
extensions
Holdfast - Filaments
basal cell surrounded
Shape
modified for by pectic Oogamy,
anchorage sheaths formation of formation of
Zoospores,
Zoospores, Reproduction Isogamy autocolonies, no daughter cells
Reproductio Zoospores, Zoospores, isogamy
diplobiontic zoospores from gonidia
n isogamy oogamy (zoospores)
life cycle
 Ulva lacuca Enteromorpha Caulerpa (racemosa, Codium (fragile,
intensinalis lentillifera, serrulata, Boergesnia Valonia Acetabularia
azterobacter)
sertulatoides)

mermaid’s wine
Common name Sea lettuce Bitukang manok Sea bottle Sea balloon
goblet/parasol

Organization Membranous (foliaceous) Coenocytic (tubular) Calcareous

Salt/freshwater Saltwater Pest in oyster beds,

Tropical/subtropical
Habitat in oligotrophic (low
water
nutrient) water

Blade-like, lobed/ Long, stolon-like

undulate, looks like prostrate strands
Hollow, intestine-
Shape a lettuce, holdfast with erect fronds Like water balloons/grapes
like form tubes
present and downwards
rhizoids

Zoospores,
anisogametes,
Reproduction
diplobiontic life
cycle

XANTHOPHYTA EUGLENOZOA

Vaucheria Euglena Phacus

Common name Water felt

Single flagella used
Flagella Biflagellated
Filamentous/siphonous for gliding/swimming
Organization

Chloroplast type Pareital Not rigid, allows Rigid, prevent

Pellicle
euglenoid movement euglenoid movement
Habitat

Multinucleate branched tubes Shape Slipper-shaped Oval/spherical

Shape
Have eyespot for detection of light

Asexual: zoospores Sexual:

Reproduction May or may not
oogonia + antheridia
contain pyrenoids
 Phaeophyta
Heterogenerata
Class Isogenerate Cyclosporae
e

Ectocarpus Dictyota Padina Laminaria Fucus Sargassum

Gulf/Sargasso
Common name Kelp Rock weed
weed
Diatoms (Bacillariophyta/brown algae)
On stones,
shells, or
Habitat Centrales Pennales
epiphytic on
larger algae

Holdfast Common name Centric diatoms Pennate diatoms

Flat,
present, stalked Highly branched
dichotomously
Branching with (stipe), blade with air-filled Circular/rounded/ Elongate/slipper-
Shape branched, short Shape
erect filaments for bladders for
stipe, round triangular like
photosynthesis free-floating
holdfast
and uptake
Symmetry Radially Bilaterally
Plastids with
Chloroplasts pyrenoid-like
bodies Raphe Absent Present

Diplohaplontic Sexual No
with reproduction gametophyte, 2 longitudinal
Chloroplasts Discord, many
isomorphic alt. with two no asexual bands
of gen generations reproduction
Movement Absent Present
Sporophyte
Sporeo: both produces
sporangia Gameto: small gametangia → In cytoplasm
gametes → In periphery of
Gameto: only Sporo: large Nucleus separating
plurilocular zygote → cytoplasm
vacuole
Life cycle sporophye

Plurilocular: Habitat Marine Freshwater

cuboidal cells
that develop into
2N zoospores,
warm temp
Unilocular:
one-celled,
stalked, cold
temp

Emulsifiers and industrial gums,

used on soda, glasss making, used
Economic
in toothpaste, ice cream,
importance
milkshakes, textiles, used to make
kombu and wakame
 Rhodophyta

Class Bangiodeae Floridae Polysiphonia is hassle

- Unique:
Macroscopic Microscopic - 2 sporophyte phases, only 1 gametophyte
Unicellular, Filamentous,
- Sporophyte phase 1: carposporophyte → carposores
Thallus filamentous, Filamentous pseudoparenchmat - Sporophyte phase 2: tetrasporophyte → tetraspores
parenchmatous ous - Oogonium: carpogonium
- Male gametes: spermata → NON MOTILE
Growth Diffuse, intercalary Apical, intercalary Apical - Life cycle:
1 or more per cell, 1. Tetrasporophyte (2n) → tetrasporangia undergoes meiosis →
Chloroplast 1 per cell, stellate Many, discoid tetraspores (n)
ribbon-like
2. Tetraspores → male/female gametophytes (n)
Pit connections Absent Present Absent 3. Female gametophyte → eggs (n) with trichogyne
Pyrenoids Present Present Absent 4. Male gametophyte → spermantangia → nonmotile sperm (n)
5. Egg + sperm → zygote (2n)
Wall Mannans & xylans Cellulose Cellulose 6. Zygote → carposporophyte (2n) → carpospores (2n)
Nuclei Uninucleate Uni/multinucleate Uni/multinucleate
7. Carpospores undergo mitosis → tetrasporophyte (2n)

Isodimorphic/
Life cycle Hetero/haplodimorphic
diplohaplontic

Habitat Salt/freshwater Saltwater

RHODOPHYTA AGAIN

Class Bangiodae Florideae

Porphyra Liagora Actinotrichia Galaxaura Asparagopsis Gellidiella Polysiphonia

Habitat Saltwater Sublittorial zone

Layering Monostomatic

Light colored due to

external lime
Red thin leaves that
Shape & color deposit,
turn green
dichotomous
branching

Economic
Used to make nori
importance