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Basics of Algology

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Phycology actually is the study of algae, and this term

Phycology is derived from the Greek term PHYKOS which means SEAWEED.

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Algae are thallophytes.

Algae are Eukaryotes.


Algae belong to the kingdom Protista. Algae can range from microscopic algae to large seaweeds

and are mostly photosynthetic.


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Heterogeneous

Autotrophic
True embryogenesis

absent. Vascular tissues absent ( there are no xylem & phloem or true roots, stems or leaves). Both sexual and asexual reproduction can be found.
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Depending on main five characteristics algae can be classified primarily as follows:


Presence of photosynthetic pigments, On the basis of cell structure, Character of cell wall constituent, Type of food reserves, Type of flagella.

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Some important systems of classification of Algae are Fritsch, F E, (1935); Smith, G.M. (1955); Bold & Wynne (1985); Lee, R.E. (1989). There are various divisions and classes but we here discussing only on following some important phyla Cyanophyta Prochlorophyta Glaucophyta Rhodophyta Chlorophyta Euglenophyta Dinophyta Cryptophyta Chrysophyta Prymnesiophyta Bacillariophyta Xanthophyta Eustigmatophyta Raphidophyta Pahaeophyta.
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Basic Visual Idea

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Cyanophyta
Blue-Green Algae with chlorophyll a and phycobiliproteins and glycogen as storage food.

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Prochlorophyta
With both chlorophyll a & b.

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Glaucophyta
They have endosymbiont bluegreen algae in the cytoplasm instead of chloroplast. Flagella present and whiplash type.

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Rhodophyta
Presence of both chlorophyll a & b. Storage product is floridian starch.

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Chlorophyta
With both chlorophyll a & b. Reserve food starch within chloroplast usually in association with a pyrenoid.

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Euglenophyta
Have both chlorophylls a and b. Nucleus mesocaryotic. Paramylon formed as

storage product.

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Dinophyta
A typical motile dinoflagellate consists of an epicone and hypocone divided by the transverse girdle. Chlophyllua a & c2 .

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Cryptophyta
Contains both chlophylls a and c2. Phycobilins present outside the thylakoids.

Starch as researve
food present outside the chloroplast.

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Chrysophyta
Golden brown in color due to presence of facoxanthin and carotene. Storage product is crysolaminarin.

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Prymnesiophyta
Presence of haptonema between two smooth flagella. Cells are usually covered with scales.

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Bacillariophyta
Brown fucoxanthin gives the brown color. Cell are surrounded by a rigid two part box like cell wall composed of silica, called the frustule.

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Xanthophyta
Most cell wall is composed of two overlapping halves. Motile cells with a forwardly directed tinsel flagellum and a posteriorly directed whiplash flagellum.

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Eustigmatophyta
The only chlorophyll is a. Starch is not reserve food.

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Raphidophyta
Cells are large dorsiventrally constructed. Presence of chlorophyll a and c.

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Phaeophyta
Mostly marine.

Flagella two inserted


laterally, one anterior tinsel & another poterior whiplash

Storage product is
laminarin.

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Algae mainly differ from fungi in possessing chlorophyll and a characteristically holophytic, photosynthetic mode of nutrition. For further advanced study and information keep eyes on updates from dna2life.com

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