Oedogonium is a genus of filamentous, free-living green algae. It was first discovered in the fresh waters of Poland 1860 by W. Hilse and later named by German scientist K. E. Hirn. The morphology of Oedogonium is unique, with an interior and exterior that function very differently from one another and change throughout its life cycle. These protists reside in freshwater ecosystems in both hemispheres and are both benthic and planktonic in nature. Forming algal patches on water's surface, they interact closely with a multitude of other algae. These filamentous cell's life cycles include both sexual and asexual reproduction, depending on life cycle stage. Although quite common, Oedogonium is difficult to identify, since key ID factors are only present during reproduction, which is an uncommon life stage among this genus. Oedogonium has been found to be important in the fixation of heavy metals in freshwater ecosystems.
Ceramium is a genus of Ceramium algae. It is a large genus with at least 15 species in the British Isles.
Atractophora hypnoides is a rare red alga (Rhodophyta) found in the British Isles, France and some Atlantic Islands and is the only species of the genus found in the British Isles. It is attached to the rock or other algae by a small basal disc and is much branched with downgrowing filaments which enclose the main branch or axis forming a cortex. Short filaments of limited growth radiate in whorls from the axis and frequently convert into hairs. The spreading filaments grow irregularly in a diffuse manner. Microscope examination is required for identification.
Polysiphonia is a genus of filamentous red algae with about 19 species on the coasts of the British Isles and about 200 species worldwide, including Crete in Greece, Antarctica and Greenland. Its members are known by a number of common names. It is in the order Ceramiales and family Rhodomelaceae.
Rhodochorton is a genus of filamentous red alga adapted to low light levels. It may form tufts or a thin purple "turf" up to 5 millimetres high. The filaments branch infrequently, usually at the tips.
Asparagopsis armata is a species of marine red algae, in the family Bonnemaisoniaceae. English name(s) include red harpoon weed. They are multicellular eukaryotic organisms that. This species was first described in 1855 by Harvey, an Irish botanist who found the algae on the Western Australian coast. A. armata usually develop on infralittoral rocky bottoms around the seawater surface to around 40m of depth. Marine algae like A. armata are considered “autogenic ecosystem engineers” as they are at the very bottom of the food chain and control resource availability to other organisms in the ecosystem.
Red algae, or Rhodophyta, are one of the oldest groups of eukaryotic algae. The Rhodophyta also comprises one of the largest phyla of algae, containing over 7,000 currently recognized species with taxonomic revisions ongoing. The majority of species (6,793) are found in the Florideophyceae (class), and mostly consist of multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds. Red algae are abundant in marine habitats but relatively rare in freshwaters. Approximately 5% of red algae species occur in freshwater, environments with greater concentrations found in warmer areas. Except for two coastal cave dwelling species in the asexual class Cyanidiophyceae, there are no terrestrial species, which may be due to an evolutionary bottleneck in which the last common ancestor lost about 25% of its core genes and much of its evolutionary plasticity.
Bangia is an extant genus of division Rhodophyta that grows in marine or freshwater habitats. Bangia has small thalli with rapid growth and high reproductive output, and exhibits behavior characteristic of r-selected species. The plants are attached by down-growing rhizoids, usually in dense purple-black to rust-colored clumps. The chloroplasts of Bangia, like others in the division Rhodophyta, contain chlorophyll a and sometimes chlorophyll d, as well as accessory pigments such as phycobilin pigments and xanthophylls. Depending on the relative proportions of these pigments and the light conditions, the overall color of the plant can range from green to red to purple to grey; however, the red pigment, phycoerythrin, is usually dominant.
Hildenbrandia is a genus of thalloid red alga comprising about 26 species. The slow-growing, non-mineralized thalli take a crustose form. Hildenbrandia reproduces by means of conceptacles and produces tetraspores.
Claudea is a marine red alga genus.
Asparagopsis is a genus of edible red macroalgae (Rhodophyta). The species Asparagopsis taxiformis is found throughout the tropical and subtropical regions, while Asparagopsis armata is found in warm temperate regions. Both species are highly invasive, and have colonised the Mediterranean Sea. A third accepted species is A. svedelii, while others are of uncertain status.
Hypnea is a genus of red algae, and a well known carrageenophyte.
Madura S. Balakrishnan (1917–1990) was born and raised in Madras, Madras Presidency, British India. He was a well-known botanist and he served various government positions and worked for some time at the University of Pune. He was the student of phycologist Professor M.O.P. Iyengar. The standard author abbreviation M.S.Balakr. is used to indicate this person as the author when citing a botanical name.
Sirodotia huillensis Skuja is a freshwater red algal species belonging to the family Batrachospermaceae. This species mostly reported from high altitude forest streams.
Batrachospermaceae is a family of fresh water red algae (Rhodophyta). Genera within the Batrachospermaceae generally have a "Lemanea-type" life history with carpospores germinating to produce chantransia. Sporophyte phase with meiosis occurs in an apical cell to produce the gametophyte stage. Pit connections have two pit plug cap layers with the other layer enlarged. This family of freshwater red algae is uniaxial, meaning each filament with a single apical cell. The genera included within Batrachospermaceae are listed in the table below.
Timothy John Entwisle, is an Australian botanist, much of whose research work is in phycology (algae). See for example the articles. He was awarded a Ph.D. from La Trobe University in 1986 for work on the taxonomy of Vaucheria.
Gymnogongrus griffithsiae is a small uncommon seaweed.
Titanophora is a genus of seaweeds belonging to family Schizymeniaceae of the order Nemastomatales.
The Pterocladiophilaceae is a small family of red algae containing 2 genera of thallus parasitic algae.
Naccariaceae is a family of red algae in the order Bonnemaisoniales, with 3 monotypic genera. Which are found in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.
