Transcript Crysophyta – The Golden Algae

Crysophyta – The Golden Algae
By Glenn Lippig
Some Members
Dinobryon
Synura
Ochromonas
Phaeoplaca
Chrysophytes have varying life cycles since members are
unicellular, colonial, or amoeboid, but most of them pass
through a flagellate stage.
Key Features
• Chrysophytes are facultatively heterotrophic
(feed on bacteria/diatoms) in the absence of
light
• Most Crysophytes are unicellular, but some
such as Dinobryn grow in colonies
• Crysophytes are usually biflagellated (two
flagella), but some have only one flagella and
others are motile.
• Chrysophyta are a foundation of the aquatic
food chain in freshwater ponds and lakes.
Other Facts
• Chrysophytes get their nickname “The Golden Algae”
from their color, which is due to yellow and brown
carotene and xanthophylls accessory pigments.
• Chrysophyte cells can be “naked” and embedded in
mucilage or “coccoid” and surrounded by a cell wall
• There are over 1,000 species of Chrysophyta.
• The ancestors of chrysophytes were actually not able
to photosynthesize. It is believed they gained this
ability through an endosymbiotic relationship with
cyanobacteria.