Lyngbya is a genus of cyanobacteria, unicellular autotrophs that form the basis of the oceanic food chain.
The sea lettuces comprise the genus Ulva, a group of edible green algae that is widely distributed along the coasts of the world's oceans. The type species within the genus Ulva is Ulva lactuca, lactuca being Latin for "lettuce". The genus also includes the species previously classified under the genus Enteromorpha, the former members of which are known under the common name green nori.
Cladophora is a genus of reticulated filamentous Ulvophyceae. The genus Cladophora contains many species that are very hard to tell apart and classify, mainly because of the great variation in their appearances, which is affected by habitat, age and environmental conditions. Unlike Spirogyra the filaments of Cladophora branch and it doesn't undergo conjugation. There are two multicellular stages in its life cycle - a haploid gametophyte and a diploid sporophyte - which look highly similar. The only way to tell the two stages apart is to either count their chromosomes, or examine their offspring. The haploid gametophyte produces haploid gametes by mitosis and the diploid sporophyte produces haploid spores by meiosis. The only visible difference between the gametes and spores of Cladophora is that the gametes have two flagella and the spores have four. The Cladophora species can be a major nuisance causing major alteration to benthic conditions linked particularly with increased phosphorus loading.
Dictyotales is a large order in the brown algae. Members of this order generally prefer warmer waters than other brown algae. One genus in this order is calcareous, Padina, the only calcareous member of this phylum.
The Raphidophyceae are a small group of eukaryotic algae that includes both marine and freshwater species. All raphidophytes are unicellular, with large cells, but no cell walls. Raphidophytes possess a pair of flagella, organised such that both originate from the same invagination. One flagellum points forwards,and is covered in hair-like mastigonemes, while the other points backwards across the cell surface, lying within a ventral groove. Raphidophytes contain numerous ellipsoid chloroplasts, which contain chlorophylls a, c1 and c2. They also make use of accessory pigments including β-carotene and diadinoxanthin. Unlike other heterokontophytes, raphidophytes do not possess the photoreceptive organelle typical of this group.
Eustigmatophytes are a small group of eukaryotic algae that includes marine, freshwater and soil-living species.
Turbinaria is a genus of brown algae (Phaeophyceae) found primarily in tropical marine waters. It generally grows on rocky substrates. In tropical Turbinaria species that are often preferentially consumed by herbivorous fishes and echinoids, there is a relatively low level of phenolics and tannins.
Coccolithus is a genus of haptophytes.
Pyrenomonas is a genus of cryptomonad.
Chrysotila is a genus of haptophytes, comprising the two species Chrysotila lamellosa and Chrysotila stipitata.
Oxyrrhis is a genus of dinoflagellates. It includes the species Oxyrrhis marina.
Ornithocercus is a genus of planktonic dinoflagellate that is known for its complex morphology that features considerable lists growing from its thecal plates, giving an attractive appearance. Discovered in 1883, this genus has a small number of species currently categorized but is widespread in tropical and sub-tropical oceans. The genus is marked by exosymbiotic bacteria gardens under its lists, the inter-organismal dynamics of which are a current field of research. As they reside only in warm water, the genus has been used as a proxy for climate change and has potential to be an indicator species for environmental change if found in novel environments.
Cylindrospermopsis is a planktonic genus of filamentous cyanobacteria known for its blooms in eutrophic waters. The type species is the tropical Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii (Woloszynska) Seenayya & Subbaraju. The cyanotoxin cylindrospermopsin was first identified from a species of this genus.
Dinobryon is a type of microscopic algae. It is one of the 33 genera of Chrysophyceae. Dinobryon are mixotrophs, capable of obtaining energy and carbon through photosynthesis and phagotrophy of bacteria. The genus comprises at least 37 described species. The best-known species are D. cylindricum and D. divergens, which come to the attention of humans annually due to transient blooms in the photic zone of temperate lakes and ponds. Such blooms may produce volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that produce odors and affect water quality.
Martensia is a genus of red algae, containing the following species:
Perkinsidae is a family of alveolates in the phylum Perkinsozoa, a sister group to the dinoflagellates.
Karenia mikimotoi is a microbial species from the genus Karenia, which are dinoflagellates. Its first appearance was in Japan in 1935 and since then, it has appeared in other parts of the world such as the east coast of the USA, Norway, and the English Channel.
