Ochrophyte
Phylum of algae / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Ochrophytes, also known as heterokontophytes or stramenochromes, are a group of algae. They are the photosynthetic stramenopiles, a group of eukaryotes, organisms with a cell nucleus, characterized by the presence of two unequal flagella, one of which has tripartite hairs called mastigonemes. In particular, they are characterized by photosynthetic organelles or plastids enclosed by four membranes, with membrane-bound compartments called thylakoids organized in piles of three, chlorophyll a and c as their photosynthetic pigments, and additional pigments such as β-carotene and xanthophylls. Ochrophytes are one of the most diverse lineages of eukaryotes, containing ecologically important algae such as brown algae and diatoms. They are classified either as phylum Ochrophyta or Heterokontophyta, or as subphylum Ochrophytina within phylum Gyrista. Their plastids are of red algal origin.
Ochrophytes Temporal range: Middle Proterozoic[1] 1000–0 Ma | |
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Dense kelp forest with understory at Partridge Point near Dave's Caves, Cape Peninsula | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Clade: | Diaphoretickes |
Clade: | SAR |
Clade: | Stramenopiles |
Phylum: | Gyrista |
Subphylum: | Ochrophytina Cavalier-Smith 1986 emend. 1996[2] |
Type genus | |
Fucus Linnaeus, 1753 | |
Classes[3] | |
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Diversity | |
23,314 described species[5] >100,000 estimated species[6] | |
Synonyms | |
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