Examples of golden algae and other phyla in the Kingdom Protista of one-celled plants and animals.
Note that many lower life forms can be difficult to easily classify into related groups. As a result,
some authorities have presented slightly different organization schemes for these organisms.
Prepared by Robert G. Howells, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Ingram, Texas; November 2003.
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GOLDEN ALGAE EUGLENOIDS
Chrysophyta Euglenophyta
Often occur as tiny single cells, with yellow-green or Motile, single cells; contain chlorophyll, but lack cell
golden-brown pigments; have two whip-like flagella and a walls; some have a red eyespot; with one or more flagella.
third appendage called a haptonema used for attachment;
can produce their own food or prey on other organisms;
some produce potent toxins.
ZOOFLAGELLATES
Zoomastigophora
DINOFLAGELLATES One-celled or colonial animals that are much like
Dinoflagellata euglenoids or Dinoflagellates, but lack photosynthetic
Single cells with both plant and animal traits; some have chemicals like chlorophyll; with one or more flagella.
cell walls and cellulose plates; with two whip-like flagella,
one in a central groove and another placed vertically; some
produce toxins and cause red tides.
BROWN ALGAE
Phaeophyta
DIATOMS Small cells to very large colonies; typically marine;
Bacillariophyta includes species like kelp and sargassum.
Single-celled algae that produce ornate silicon (glass)
cases; contain photosynthetic pigments; source of
diatomaceous earth used in filters and cleansers.
RED ALGAE
Rhodophyta
GREEN ALGAE Most form larger, multi-cellular colonies; often marine;
Chlorophyta contain reddish pigments that mask chlorophyll that is also
Small single cells to larger colonies; contain chlorophyll; present.
many species with an array of forms; some have flagella.
CILIATED PROTOZOANS PLASMODIA
Ciliophora Apicomplexa
Single-celled or colonial animals; with tiny hair-like cilia One-celled parasites that include the species that causes
for locomotion and food getting; many species and forms. malaria in humans; often with complex life cycles.
RADIOLARIANS AND HELIOZOANS
AMOEBAS Actinopoda
Rhizopoda Amoeba-like protozoa with thin, unbranched pseudopodia
Simple single-celled animals; with short pseudopodia; that are stiff and radiate outward in some species; some
some continually change shape, others build cases of with perforated shells of silica or strontium sulfate.
specific designs for protection.
FORAMS
Foraminifera
Amoeba-like protozoa with simple or complex, perforated PLASMODIAL SLIME MOLDS
shells that may be ornate; with one or many branched Myxomycota
pseudopodia. Usually exists as enormous animal-like, single-cells with
thousands of nuclei; but can form mushroom like
structures called sporangia.
WATER FUNGI
Oomycota
Grow as mold-like filaments, but lack chitin found in the
walls of true fungi; with swimming, flagellated sex cells. CELLULAR SLIME MOLDS
Acrasiomycota
Usually exist as amoeba-like single cells, but can also
aggregate into masses and form mushroom-like sporangia.
LOWER FUNGI
Chytridomycota
Grow as simple fungal strands, but differ from true fungi
and molds by having reproductive cells with flagella.
NOTE: Blue-green algae (Cyanophyta) are now classified
with bacteria because they lack a nuclear membrane.
