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Unicellular algae From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Euglenophyceae (ICBN) or Euglenea (ICZN) is a group of single-celled algae belonging to the phylum Euglenozoa.[2][3] They have chloroplasts originated from an event of secondary endosymbiosis with a green alga. They are distinguished from other algae by the presence of paramylon as a storage product and three membranes surrounding each chloroplast.[4]
| Euglenophyceae | |
|---|---|
| |
| Euglena viridis, by Ehrenberg | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Phylum: | Euglenozoa |
| Class: | Euglenida |
| Clade: | Spirocuta |
| Clade: | Euglenophyceae Schoenichen, 1925 emend. Marin & Melkonian, 2003[1][2] |
| Type genus | |
| Euglena Ehrenberg, 1830[1] | |
| Orders | |
| Synonyms | |
| |
Euglenophyceae are unicellular algae, protists that contain chloroplasts. Their chloroplasts originated from a secondary endosymbiosis with a green alga, particularly from the order Pyramimonadales,[5] and contain chlorophylls a and b.[2]Some have secondarily lost this ability and evolved toward osmotrophy. In addition to photosynthetic plastids, most species have a photosensitive eyespot.[3]
Euglenophyceae are mainly present in the water column of freshwater habitats. They are abundant in small eutrophic water bodies of temperate climates, where they are capable of forming blooms, including toxic blooms such as those caused by Euglena sanguinea. In tropical climate, blooms are common in ponds. In marine environments they have been reported in a lower amount. Some species are capable of migrating vertically through the sand along with the cycles of ocean tides. Two lineages of Euglenophyceae are part of the marine plankton: Rapazida and Eutreptiales. Eutreptiales can amount up to 46% of the total phytoplankton biomass when blooming in eutrophic coastal waters.[3]
Euglenophyceae encompasses three taxonomic groups: the mixotrophic Rapaza viridis and two mainly phototrophic orders, Euglenales and Eutreptiales.[1][3][6] The classification is as follows (species numbers based on AlgaeBase):[7]
Several genera assigned to Euglenophyceae are considered incertae sedis, because the lack of genetic data makes their phylogenetic position unresolved:[3]
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