Cell Chlorophyll Pigments Membranes Thylakoids Storage Covering Flagella
Eukaryotic a and b None 2 2-6 starch glycoprotein 0-4

Kalina Manoylov Kalina Manoylov Kalina Manoylov

 

The Division Chlorophyta, or green algae, characteristically contain chlorophyll a and b and ß carotene.

Green algae are distinguished from other groups of algae by the types of chlorophyll molecules that they possess. Chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b are both molecules that absorb light energy in photosynthesis. Not surprisingly, the “green algae” are characteristically green in color. Green algae also contain ß carotene, another pigment molecule in addition to the chlorophylls. Like chlorophyll, ß carotene also functions in absorbing light energy from the sun. This group of algae stores the energy from photosynthesis within the cell, in the form of starch. This stored energy is also termed “carbohydrate reserve” and can be used to power cell processes when light is not available.

The chlorophytes live primarily in aquatic habitats. For example, most lakes, ponds, and puddles contain species of green algae. Members of this division also grow in salty waters of seas and oceans. Some species have very narrow range of conditions where they are able to live. “Snow algae” live on the surface of snowfields in the Rocky Mountains, and reach their greatest abundance in the summer, coloring the snow a rosy red. The patches of snow algae are called “red snow” or “watermelon snow”. Other chlorophytes live in desert soils or on rock surfaces. Like the other groups of algae, green algae are also important parts of aquatic ecosystems because they provide energy (food) to many larger organisms like zooplankton and fish.

Structure

The Division Chlorophyta is a diverse group with over 7,000 described species. Within this large group are cells that live individually as single cells, and those that form colonies of spherical balls, filaments, or other aggregations. Some colonies are attached to surfaces, like the surface of an aquatic plant and others float freely in the plankton. Some of the chlorophytes are able to move within water by using flagella. Some cells have four flagella, some have two, some cells lack flagella completely and some form beautiful colonies of flagellate cells.

Green algae in Rocky Mountain Lakes

In the Rocky Mountains, chlorophytes live in different aquatic environments. During the summer, snow algae live on the surface of snowfields. Chlorophytes also live on the rocks, soil, and within lichens, forming a symbiotic relationship with fungi. However, most of the chlorophytes live in mountain lakes, streams and ponds. Genera like Chlamydomonas, Chlorella, and Ankyra live in the planktonic habitat.

104 taxa shown below, 83 of which appear in at least one sample.

Name Basionym Synonyms Lakes Samples Region* ID
Ankistrodesmus convolutus 1 1 RMNP, 2001
Ankistrodesmus falcatus 1 1 RMNP, 2002
Ankistrodesmus falcatus var. acicularis 4 65 RMNP, 2003
Ankistrodesmus nannoselene 1 11 RMNP, 2004
Ankyra judayi 0 0 2005
Ankyra lanceolata 1 4 RMNP, 2006
Ankyra sp. #1 1 62 SLW, 2084
Ankyra sp. #2 1 80 SLW, 2087
Chlamydomonas sp. #1 1 89 SLW, 2085
Chlamydomonas sp. #2 1 98 SLW, 2086
Chlamydomonas angulosa 2 2 RMNP, 2007
Chlamydomonas dinobryon 2 2 RMNP, 2008
Chlamydomonas sp. 2 2 RMNP, 2009
Chlamydomonas sp. 1 5 130 RMNP, 2010
Chlamydomonas sp. 2 5 104 RMNP, 2011
Chlamydomonas sp. 3 5 50 RMNP, 2012
Chlamydomonas sp. 4 2 4 RMNP, 2013
Chlamydomonas sp. 5 1 2 RMNP, 2014
Chlorella ellipsoidea 2 131 RMNP, 2015
Chlorella minutissima Chlorella miniata 1 172 SLW, 2016
Chlorella sp. 7 68 RMNP, SLW, 2017
Chlorococcum infusionum 2 52 RMNP, 2018
Chlorococcum sp. 6 63 RMNP, SLW, 2019
Chlorogonium sp. 2 19 RMNP, 2020
Choricystis (Coccomyxa) minor 3 16 RMNP, 2021
Closterium gracile 0 0 2022
Closterium sp. 2 11 RMNP, 2023
Corone sp. 2 5 RMNP, 2025
Cosmarium sp. 1 2 RMNP, 2026
Cosmarium sp. 1 2 4 RMNP, 2027
Cosmarium sp. 2 1 1 RMNP, 2028
Desmidium sp. 0 0 2029
Dictyosphaerium elegans 2 3 RMNP, 2030
Dictyosphaerium sp. 2 47 RMNP, 2031
Dictyosphaerium sp. 1 1 5 RMNP, 2100
Dictyosphaerium sp. 2 1 3 RMNP, 2101
Dictyosphaerium, spore of 0 0 2032
Elakotothrix viridis 0 0 2033
Eudorina elegans 2 54 RMNP, 2034
Eudorina sp. 2 3 RMNP, 2035
Eutetramorus didelta 0 0 2036
Eutetramorus divaricatum 0 0 2037
Eutetramorus fottii 3 10 RMNP, 2038
Eutetramorus pulchellum 0 0 2039
Gloeococcus sp. 1 1 RMNP, 2089
Gloeococcus tetraspora 2 15 RMNP, 2040
Gloeocystis sp. 3 19 RMNP, 2041
Gloeocystis sp. 1 1 1 RMNP, 2090
Gloeocystis sp. 2 0 0 2091
Golenkinia radiata 1 1 RMNP, 2102
Gonatozygon sp. 1 3 RMNP, 2092
Gonium sociale 3 4 RMNP, 2042
Gonium sp. 3 52 RMNP, 2043
Gymnozyga moniliformis 1 2 RMNP, 2044
Kirchneriella lunaris 2 12 RMNP, 2093
Korshikoviella limnetica 0 0 2045
Mesotaenium sp. 1 1 RMNP, 2094
Micratinium sp. 1 5 RMNP, 2103
Microspora sp. 1 1 RMNP, 2095
Monomastix sp. 1 17 SLW, 2046
Monoraphidium griffithii 2 4 RMNP, 2047
Monoraphidium komarkovae 0 0 2048
Monoraphidium sp. 0 0 2049
Mougeotia sp. 0 0 2050
Nephrocytium limneticum 2 56 RMNP, 2051
Nephrocytium sp. 3 9 RMNP, 2052
Octosporiella coloradensis 2 40 RMNP, 2053
Oocystis gleocystiformis 1 3 RMNP, 2054
Oocystis pusilla 0 0 2055
Oocystis sp. 3 4 RMNP, 2056
Pandoria morum 2 10 RMNP, 2057
Pandorina smithii 1 4 RMNP, 2058
Pandorina sp. 1 2 RMNP, 2059
Pediastrum tetras 0 0 2060
Phacotus lenticularis 0 0 2061
Pleodorina californicum 2 6 RMNP, 2062
Pteromonas sp. 1 2 RMNP, 2063
Raphidocelis microscopica 1 58 SLW, 2064
Scenedesmus abundans 1 2 RMNP, 2065
Scenedesmus aculeolatus 2 2 RMNP, 2066
Scenedesmus ecornis 1 168 SLW, 2067
Scenedesmus quadricauda 1 1 RMNP, 2096
Scenedesmus quadricauda var. maximum 1 1 RMNP, 2068
Scenedesmus serratus 3 63 RMNP, 2069
Scenedesmus sp. 2 44 RMNP, 2070
Scenedesmus sp. 2 1 2 RMNP, 2071
Schroederia judayi 2 2 RMNP, 2097
Schroederia setigera 2 5 RMNP, 2072
Selenastrum minutum 1 1 RMNP, 2098
Sphaerocystis schroeteri 1 1 RMNP, 2104
Sphaerocystis sp. Coenochloris, Pseudosphaerocystis 1 13 SLW, 2024
Sphaerozosma sp. 1 1 RMNP, 2073
Spirogyra sp. 2 3 RMNP, 2074
Staurastrum radians 0 0 2075
Staurastrum sp. 1 2 RMNP, 2076
Staurodesmus (Arthrodesmus) incus 0 0 2077
Synechococcus linearis 0 0 2078
Tetraedron minimum 1 5 RMNP, 2079
Treubaria sp. 1 1 RMNP, 2099
Ulothrix sp. 2 3 RMNP, 2080
unknown chlorophyte 1 61 SLW, 2088
Xanthidium armatum var. mediolaeve 0 0 2081
Xanthidum sp. 0 0 2082
Zoospores 2 5 RMNP, 2083

Region:
RMNP = Rocky Mountain National Park, CO
SLW = Silver Lakes Watershed, CO

 

Images are not scaled. An individual that looks bigger than its neighbors might actually be smaller. All images were made to fit within an area of 360px high and 200px wide.


Ankyra sp. #1

Length 7-9 µm
Width 2-4 µm

Ankyra sp. #2

Length 7-9 µm
Width 2-4 µm

Chlamydomonas sp. #1

Length 6-8 µm
Width 6-8 µm

Chlamydomonas sp. #2

Length 3-5 µm
Width 3-5 µm

Chlorella minutissima

Length 3-5 µm
Width 3-5 µm

Chlorella sp.

Length 1-2 µm
Width 1-2 µm

Chlorococcum sp.

Length 8-10 µm
Width 8-10 µm

Monomastix sp.

Length 5-10 µm
Width 3-5 µm

Raphidocelis microscopica

Length 4-6 µm
Width 4-6 µm

Scenedesmus ecornis

Length 0.5-1.0 µm
Width 0.25-0.50 µm

Sphaerocystis sp.

Length 3-5 µm
Width 3-5 µm

Representative images missing for: Ankistrodesmus convolutus | Ankistrodesmus falcatus | Ankistrodesmus falcatus var. acicularis | Ankistrodesmus nannoselene | Ankyra judayi | Ankyra lanceolata | Chlamydomonas angulosa | Chlamydomonas dinobryon | Chlamydomonas sp. | Chlamydomonas sp. 1 | Chlamydomonas sp. 2 | Chlamydomonas sp. 3 | Chlamydomonas sp. 4 | Chlamydomonas sp. 5 | Chlorella ellipsoidea | Chlorococcum infusionum | Chlorogonium sp. | Choricystis (Coccomyxa) minor | Closterium gracile | Closterium sp. | Corone sp. | Cosmarium sp. | Cosmarium sp. 1 | Cosmarium sp. 2 | Desmidium sp. | Dictyosphaerium elegans | Dictyosphaerium sp. | Dictyosphaerium sp. 1 | Dictyosphaerium sp. 2 | Dictyosphaerium, spore of | Elakotothrix viridis | Eudorina elegans | Eudorina sp. | Eutetramorus didelta | Eutetramorus divaricatum | Eutetramorus fottii | Eutetramorus pulchellum | Gloeococcus sp. | Gloeococcus tetraspora | Gloeocystis sp. | Gloeocystis sp. 1 | Gloeocystis sp. 2 | Golenkinia radiata | Gonatozygon sp. | Gonium sociale | Gonium sp. | Gymnozyga moniliformis | Kirchneriella lunaris | Korshikoviella limnetica | Mesotaenium sp. | Micratinium sp. | Microspora sp. | Monoraphidium griffithii | Monoraphidium komarkovae | Monoraphidium sp. | Mougeotia sp. | Nephrocytium limneticum | Nephrocytium sp. | Octosporiella coloradensis | Oocystis gleocystiformis | Oocystis pusilla | Oocystis sp. | Pandoria morum | Pandorina smithii | Pandorina sp. | Pediastrum tetras | Phacotus lenticularis | Pleodorina californicum | Pteromonas sp. | Scenedesmus abundans | Scenedesmus aculeolatus | Scenedesmus quadricauda | Scenedesmus quadricauda var. maximum | Scenedesmus serratus | Scenedesmus sp. | Scenedesmus sp. 2 | Schroederia judayi | Schroederia setigera | Selenastrum minutum | Sphaerocystis schroeteri | Sphaerozosma sp. | Spirogyra sp. | Staurastrum radians | Staurastrum sp. | Staurodesmus (Arthrodesmus) incus | Synechococcus linearis | Tetraedron minimum | Treubaria sp. | Ulothrix sp. | unknown chlorophyte | Xanthidium armatum var. mediolaeve | Xanthidum sp. | Zoospores |