Classification of Algae

Classification is defined as scientific categorization of the

organisms in a hierarchical series of groups
 Species is considered as the smallest; More similar species
are grouped into genus; Similar genera is grouped into
families; Families into orders; orders into classes; classes
into divisions and divisions into kingdom

Nomenclature - The Greek word for algae is phykos and

according to International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature, a
group of algae should necessarily be incorporated by the word
phykos
The International Code of Botanical Nomenclature (Lanjouw 1956) has
recommended the following suffixes for the different categories of algae
 Division – phyta eg. Chlorophyta
 Sub-Division – phytina
 Class- phyceae eg. Chlorophyceae
 Sub-class - phycidae
 Order- ales eg. Charales
 Sub-order – inales
 Family – aceae
 Sub-family – oideae
 Tribe – eae
 Genus – generally a Latin name
 Species – generally a Latin name
 Variety – A Latin word
 Form – A Latin word
Basis for Algal Classification:
 Pigments – their complement, relative amount, kinds, chemical composition etc
 External form – size, shape, appendages and other structures
 Chromatophore shape – cup shaped, stellate, reticulate, discoid, spiral, girdle
shaped
 Reserve food material – starch, oil, etc. and their chemical composition
 Flagella – structure, type, number, position, anatomy and insertion on the body
 Cell wall – submicroscopic wall, its chemical composition etc.
 Nucleus – presence or absence of definite nucleus
 Chromosomes – number, arrangement, shape etc.
 Life history and reproduction – type of life cycle, method of reproduction, shape
of reproductive bodies, presence or absence of sexual reproduction
 Algal physiology – different physiological details
 Ecological data – fresh water, marine etc.
Schools of thought for Algal classification
There are two schools of thought:
According to one school (supported by Pascher, 1914, Smith, 1933,
Papenfuss, 1946, Prescott, 1969) – Alga should be divided into several phyta, then
each phyta (division) and then into different phyceae (class)
Their classification is based on pigment differ in phyta and product of
photosynthesis is different in different division
According to second school (Fritsch, 1935 and his followers) have the
opinion that Algae itself is equivalent to division, and further it can only be
divided into classes (phyceae) and not into many division (phyta); no word like
phyta in classification of Fritsch and his supporters
Their classification is based on Chlorophyll a is common in all Alagae
and so there is a definitely common origin from a common source, internal
structure of flagella is similar in all, product of assimilation may be different but
the process of assimilation is same in all and method of reproduction are also
almost common in all
Classification of Algae:
W.H. Harvey (1836)
A. W. Eichler (1886)
A. Pascher (1914, 1931)
G. M. Smith (1955)
F. E. Fritsch (1935, 1945)
G.P. Papenfuss (1946)
V.P. Chapman (1962)
G.W. Prescott (1969)
F.E. Round (1973)
H.C. Bold and M.J. Wynne (1978)
S.P. Parker (1982)
F. E. Fritsch Classification:
 The first most comprehensive classification of algae was given by
F.E Fritsch (1935, 45,48) in his book “The structure and
reproduction of the Algae”.
 Classification of Fritsch was based on the following criteria
 Pigmentation

 Types of flagella
 Assimilatory products
 Thallus structure
 Method of reproduction
Fritsch divided algae into the following 11 classes
1.Chlorophyceae (green algae)
2. Xanthophyceae (Yellow-green algae)
3. Chrysophyceae
4. Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms or golden brown algae)
5. Cryptophyceae
6. Dinophyceae
7. Chloromonadineae
8. Euglenineae
9. Phaeophyceae (Brown algae)
10. Rhodophyceae (Red algae)
11. Myxophyceae (Blue green algae/cyanphyceae)
1. Class Chlorophyceae (Green algae)
 The main pigments are essentially identical to those found in higher plants -
chlorophyll a and b, carotenoids and xanthophylls.
 Chloroplast usually have pyrenoids
 The food reserve is starch, which frequently aggregate around the pyrenoids.
 The cell wall is composed of cellulose and the cell are typically eukaryotic
 Flagella if present are of equal length and are usually inserted at interior end

 Reproduction takes place by vegetative, asexual and sexual (iso, aniso and
oogamous) methods
Class Chlorophyceae have been divided into nine orders
Order I:Volvocales (eg., Volvox)
Order II : Chlorococcales (eg., Chlorella)
Order III: Ulothrichales (eg., Ulothrix)
Order IV: Cladophorales (eg., Cladophora)
Order V: Chaetophorales (eg., Fritschiella)
Order VI: Oedogoniales (eg., Oedogonium)
Order VII: Conjugales (eg., Zygnema)
Order VIII: Siphonales (eg., Vaucheria)
Order IX: Charales (eg., Chara)
2. Class Xanthophyceae ( Heterokontae or Yellow-green algae)
 The main Pigments are chlorophyll a and e, β carotene
and xanthophylls.
 Plastids without pyrenoids
 Reserve food material is oil
 Cell wall mainly composed of pectic substances with little
cellulose
 The cell is typical eukaryotic with anteriorly inserted 2
unequal flagella - shorter flagella are whiplash type and longer one
tinsel type.
 Reproduction by vegetative , asexual and sexual
(Isogamous) methods.
Class Xanthophyceae has been divided into 4 orders
Order 1: Heterochloridales (e.g., Heterochloris,
Chloramoeba)
Order 2: Heterococcales (e.g., Myxochloris)
Order 3: Heterotrichales(e.g., Tribonema)
Order 4: Heterosiphonales (e.g., Botrydium)
3. Class Chrysophyceae
 Phycochrysin is the dominant pigment which imparts brown or
orange colour to these algae.
 The chromatophores have naked pyrenoid like bodies.
 The food reserve is chrysolaminarin and leucosin.
 The cell wall is calcified and non cellulosic.
 The motile cell have two anteriorly inserted unequal flagella.
 Sexual reproduction is very rare when present it is isogamous
type.

Class Chrysophyceae includes three orders

Order 1: Chrysomonadales (e.g., Chrysodendron)
Order 2: Chrysosphaerales (e.g, Chrysosphaera)
Order 3: Chrysotrichales (e.g., Chrysoclonium)
4. Class Bacillariophyceae (Diatoms or golden brown algae)
 Member of this class is characterized by the dominance of golden
brown pigments fucoxanthin, diatoxanthin, and diadinoxanthin
 The chromatophores pyrenoids and the photosynthetic products are
fat and volutin.
 Cell wall is pectic and silicified and variously ornamented.
 Cell wall consist of two halves which are radially or bilaterally
symmetrical.
 The motile cell usually have single flagellum.
 The sexual reproduction takes place by fusion and by the formation of
gametes or auxospores.
Class Bacillariophyceae have two orders
Order 1: Centrales (e.g., Cyclotella, Chaetoceras)
Order 2: Pennales ( e.g., Grammatophora , Navicula)
5. Class Cryptophyceae
 The main pigment is xanthophyll which imparts brown or red colour to
these algae
 Pyrenoids like bodies are present but they are often independent of
chromatophores.
 The photosynthetic products are starch or oil.
 The motile cells are dorsiventral with two anteriorly inserted unequal
flagella.
 A complex vacuolar system is present in the cell.
 Sexual reproduction is rare and when present it is of isogamous type.
This class includes two orders
Order 1: Cryptomonadales (e.g., Cryptomonas)
Order 2: Cryptococcales (e.g.,Tetragonidium)
6. Class Dinophyceae (Peridinieae)
 These algae contain many discoid chromatophores
 The main pigment is xanthophyll which imparts brown or red color
 The food reserve are starch and fat.
 The cell wall is cellulosic.
 Most of the cells of this class are motile unicells with two flagella
 Many species are colorless saprophytes and show holozoic mode of
nutrition.
 Sexual reproduction is rare but if present it is of isogamous type.
This class includes six orders
Order 1: Desmomonadales eg. Desmocapsa
Order 2: Thecatales eg. Prorocentrum
Order 3: Dinophysiales eg. Dinophysis
Order 4: Dinococcales eg. Dinastridium
Order 5. Dinotrichales eg. Dinothrix
Order 6. Dinoflagellata eg. Heterocapsa
7. Class Chloromonadineae
 Members of this class have numerous discoid
chromatophores;
 They provide bright green tint due to presence of excess of
xanthophyll.
 Pyrenoids are lacking and the reserve food is fat and oil
 The motile forms are with two almost equal flagella.
 Sexual reproduction is absent.
 Multiplication takes place by longitudinal division of cells.

This class have only one order

Order : Chloromonadales e.g., Trentonia
8. Class Euglenineae
 There are highly specialized unicellular green
flagellates.
 The cell has usually many chromatophores.
 Pyrenoid like bodies are present in some forms.
 The main pigment is chlorophyll and product of
photosynthesis is a polysaccharide paramylon.
 Most of the members have one or two flagella which
arise from base of a canal like invagination at the anterior
end .
 This algae possess a complex vacuolar system.
 The multiplication by cell division.
 Sexual reproduction is present only in a few forms and is
of isogamous type.
This class includes three families
Family 1: Euglenaceae eg. Euglena
Family 2: Astasiaceae eg. Astasia
Family 3: Peranemaceae eg. Anisonema
9. Class Phaeophyceae (Brown algae)
 Structurally the most complex algae
 Simple filaments to massive plant bodies.
 Pigments include chlorophyll a and c, β-carotene.
 Chromatophores besides other pigments contain fucoxanthin.
 Reserve food in the form of laminarin (polysaccharide) and
mannitol (form of alcohol)
 Cell wall is mainly composed of cellulose with alginic and
fucinic acids.
 The motile reproductive cells have two lateral or sub
apical flagella, one directed forward and other directed
backward.
 Sexual reproduction ranges from isogamy to oogamy.
This class consist of nine orders
 Order 1: Ectocarpales (e.g., Ectocarpus)
 Order 2: Tilopteridales (e.g., Tilopteris)
 Order 3: Cutleriales (e.g., Cutleria)
 Order 4: Sporochnales (e.g., Sporochnus)
 Order 5: Desmarestiales (e.g., Desmarestia)
 Order 6: Laminariales (e.g., Laminaria, Macrocystis)
 Order 7: Sphacelariales (e.g., Sphacelaria, Haploteris)
 Order 8: Dictyotales (e.g., Dictyota)
 Order 9: Fucales (e.g., Fucus, Sargassum)
10. Class Rhodophyceae (Red algae)
 Most of these algae are marine with uniaxial or multiaxial thalli.
 Pigment contents are chlorophyll a and d, α- and β-carotene and
xanthophyll’s,
 Besides other pigments chromatophores contain r-phycoerythrin
and r-phycocyanin which impart red color to these algae.
 The food reserve in the form of floridean starch ( a polysaccharide)
 The outer cell wall is pectic and inner cell wall is cellulosic.
 The reproductive cells are non motile.
 The sexual reproduction is advanced oogamous type.
This class is divided into seven orders
 Order 1: Bangiales (e.g., Bangia, Porphyra, Porphyridium)
 Order 2: Nemalionales (e.g., Batrachospermum, Nemalion)
 Order 3: Gelidiales ( e.g., Gelidium)
 Order 4: Cryptonemiales (e.g., Corallina)
 Order 5: Gigartinales (e.g., Gigartina, Gracilaria )
 Order 6: Rhodymeniales ( e.g., Champia, Rhodymenia)
 Order 7: Ceramiales ( e.g., Ceramium, Polysiphonia)
11. Class Myxophyceae ( Cyanophyceae or blue green algae)
 The algae are characterized by the presence of very rudimentary
nucleus and they do not have well organized chromatophores ( i.e.
cell organization is prokaryotic).
 The chief pigment is chlorophyll a, β-carotene and c phycocyanin.
 Cell wall is made up of mucopolymer.
 The food reserve is cyanophycean starch.
 Sexual reproduction is absent.
 Asexual reproduction by hormogonia or akinetes.
This class consist of five orders
Order 1: Chroococcales (e.g., Gleocapsa, Microcystis)
Order 2: Chamaesiphonales (e.g., Chamesiphon, Dermocarpa)
Order 3:Pleurocapsales (e.g., Pleurocapsa)
Order 4: Nostocales (e.g., Nostoc, Oscillatoria, Gloeotrichia, Rivularia, Scytonema, Spirulina)
Order 5: Stigonematales (e.g., Nostochopsis, Stigonema, Mastigocladium)