| Characium | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Characium hookeri | |
Scientific classification  | |
| (unranked): | Viridiplantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Chlorophyceae |
| Order: | Sphaeropleales |
| Family: | Characiaceae |
| Genus: | Characium A. Braun in Kützing, 1849 |
| Type species | |
| Characium sieboldii | |
| Species [1] | |
See text | |
Characium is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae. [1] It is very commonly found in freshwater habitats, where it is attached to phytoplankton or zooplankton. [2]
Characium consists of single or rarely clustered cells. They are attached to a plant or animal substrate (thus epiphytic or epizoic), via a stalk or a circular pad. The cells have diverse shapes, ranging from fusiform to club-shaped or spherical, and are variously straight, hooked, or S-shaped. Cells usually contain a single parietal chloroplast filling the cell, with a central pyrenoid. In some species, the chloroplasts fragment into multiple plastids, each with one pyrenoid. [3] Mature cells have one nucleus (are uninucleate). [4]
Characium reproduces asexually by zoospores. Zoospores have two flagella. [3]
The genus Characium is similar to Characiopsis , a type of algae in the class Eustigmatophyceae. The two genera are very similar and have been confused in the past; [5] however, Characium produces starch to store excess carbon and thus stains brown to purple in Lugol's iodine solution, while Characiopsis does not. [6] Many other similar segregate genera have been named. These include Deuterocharacium , which differs in having chloroplasts without pyrenoids, [7] and Characiopodium , with multinucleate mature cells. [4]
Identification of species depends on the shapes and sizes of the cell body, as well as the stipe with which the body is attached. [1]
The Chlorophyceae are one of the classes of green algae, distinguished mainly on the basis of ultrastructural morphology. They are usually green due to the dominance of pigments chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b. The chloroplast may be discoid, plate-like, reticulate, cup-shaped, spiral- or ribbon-shaped in different species. Most of the members have one or more storage bodies called pyrenoids located in the chloroplast. Pyrenoids contain protein besides starch. Some green algae may store food in the form of oil droplets. They usually have a cell wall made up of an inner layer of cellulose and outer layer of pectose.
Actinochloris is a genus of green algae, in the family Actinochloridaceae, with a single species Actinochloris sphaerica. It is a subaerial to terrestrial alga.
Characiochloris is a genus of green algae in the family Characiochloridaceae. Characiochloris is epiphytic on freshwater algae, or found in soil.
Characiopodium is a genus of green algae in the family Sphaeropleaceae. It occurs in soils.
Characiosiphon is a genus of green algae in the family Characiosiphonaceae. It contains a single species, Characiosiphon rivularis.
Dictyochloris is a genus of green algae in the class Chlorophyceae. It is the sole genus of the family Dictyochloridaceae. It is commonly found in terrestrial and subaerial habitats.
Neochloris is a genus of green algae in the family Neochloridaceae. It is found in freshwater aquatic and terrestrial soil habitats.
Polyedriopsis is a genus of green algae in the order Sphaeropleales. As of February 2022, it contained a single species, Polyedriopsis spinulosa. It is found worldwide in freshwater habitats as phytoplankton, but is rare.
Pseudoschroederia is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae. It is planktonic in freshwater habitats, and probably has a cosmopolitan distribution. The genus Pseudoschroederia was circumscribed by Eberhard Hegewald and Eberhard Schnepf in 1986. The genus was distinguished from the similar Schroederia by being heteropolar and differing cell structure. However, some authors do not consider the genera to be separate.
Quadrigula is a genus of green algae in the family Selenastraceae. It is commonly found in freshwater habitats as phytoplankton.
Schroederia is a genus of green algae in the family Schroederiaceae. Schroederiaceae is a monotypic taxon; Schroederia is its only genus.
Sorastrum is a genus of green algae in the family Hydrodictyaceae. It is a component of the phytoplankton of freshwater ponds, lakes, and ditches. Sorastrum is common in tropical to temperate regions of the world, but due to its small size it is often overlooked.
Actinochloridaceae is a family of green algae, in the order Chlamydomonadales.
Deasonia is a genus of green algae, in the family Actinochloridaceae. It is found in soils.
Actidesmium is a small genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae. It was described by the German phycologist Paul Friedrich Reinsch in 1875.
Characiellopsis is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae. Two species are known: Characiellopsis anophelesii and Characiellopsis skujae.
Deuterocharacium is a genus of green algae in the family Characiaceae. It is found in freshwater habitats, attached to algae or detritus. It is rare and has only been recorded from Europe.
Follicularia is a genus of green algae, in the family Schizochlamydaceae. It is found in terrestrial habitats, mainly soil.
Chlorokybus is a multicellular (sarcinoid) genus of basal green algae or charophyte. It has been classified as the sole member of the family Chlorokybaceae, which is the sole member of the order Chlorokybales, in turn the sole member of the class Chlorokybophyceae. It grows on soil and rock surfaces, and is rare.
Chlorangiella is a genus of microscopic algae, the type genus of the family Chlorangiellaceae. The name Chlorangiella was coined by Giovanni Battista de Toni in 1889. It is a nomen novum for Chlorangium F.Stein.
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