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.
Chlorophyta is a division of green algae informally called chlorophytes.
The Trebouxiophyceae, also known as trebouxiophytes, are a class of green algae, in the division Chlorophyta. Members of this class are single-celled, colonial, or multicellular and are found in freshwater or terrestrial habitats worldwide. Many taxa in the Trebouxiophyceae form symbiotic relationships with other organisms; in particular, the majority of phycobionts within lichens are trebouxiophytes. A number of taxa have also lost the ability to photosynthesize, and have evolved to become parasitic; examples include Prototheca and Helicosporidium.
The Chlorellales are an order of green algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae.
Prasiolales is an order of green algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae. Members of this order are ecologically widespread and are found in freshwater, marine, and terrestrial habitats from the Arctic to the Antarctic.
Botryococcaceae is a family of green algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae.
Actinastrum is a genus of freshwater green algae. It was first described by Gustaf Lagerheim in 1882. Members of the genus are commonly found in eutrophic freshwater ponds and lakes, and have a cosmopolitan distribution.
Choricystis is a genus of green algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae, considered a characteristic picophytoplankton in freshwater ecosystems. Choricystis, especially the type species Choricystis minor, has been proposed as an effective source of fatty acids for biofuels. Choricystis algacultures have been shown to survive on wastewater. In particular, Choricystis has been proposed as a biological water treatment system for industrial waste produced by the processing of dairy goods.
Dicloster is a genus of green algae in the family Chlorellaceae, containing the sole species Dicloster acuatus. It is found in freshwater habitats as plankton, and is distributed around the world.
Dictyosphaerium is a genus of green algae, in the family Chlorellaceae. It occurs in freshwater habitats around the world and is planktonic. The name comes from the Greek roots diktyon, meaning "net", and sphaira, meaning "ball", referring to its morphology.
Didymogenes is a genus of microscopic green algae in the class Trebouxiophyceae. It is a planktonic species found in freshwater habitats worldwide. Formerly placed in the family Scenedesmaceae, molecular studies have placed it in the family Chlorellaceae.
Micractinium is a genus of microscopic green algae in the family Chlorellaceae. Species of the genus Micractinium are found as phytoplankton, and are commonly found in freshwater habitats around the world. A few species are found as endosymbionts of ciliates. There is increasing interest in Micractinium due to its high growth rate and lipid production.
Parachlorella is a genus of green algae in the order Chlorellales. The genus Parachlorella is more or less indistinguishable from the similar genus Chlorella using morphological features alone; the two genera differ genetically, and can be identified using their 18S ribosomal RNA.
Picocystis is a monotypic genus of green algae, the sole species is Picocystis salinarum. It is placed within its own class, Picocystophyceae in the division Chlorophyta.
Watanabea is a genus of microscopic green algae in the family Watanabeaceae. It is widespread in terrestrial and freshwater habitats, including as a photobiont within lichens, but is apparently rare.
Chlorella rotunda is a euryhaline, unicellular microalga in the Division Chlorophyta. It is spherical to oval-shaped, is solitary and lacks a mucilaginous envelope.
Koliellaceae is a family of green algae in the order Prasiolales.
Mucidosphaerium pulchellum, also known by its synonym Dictyosphaerium pulchellum, is a species of freshwater green algae, in the family Chlorellaceae.
Elongatocystis is an autotrophic green alga in the Oocystaceae family that is defined by its elongated type cell. This genus was discovered in a rockpool at Belvedere River, Mpumalanga, South Africa and described by Krienitz and Bock in 2011 along with two other strains of Oocystaceae. Its discovery and genetic analysis determined that Oocystis ecballocystiformis should be removed. In its place, the genus Elongatocystis was proposed to more accurately represent the phylogenetic tree.
