ALGAE

1. Classification of Algae by Fritsch (1935), General

account of algal forms- - Thallus organization-
Economic Importance:

Classification of Algae by Fritsch (1935)

Fritsch proposed one of the most comprehensive
classification systems for algae in his work The
Structure and Reproduction of the Algae. He
classified algae into 11 classes, primarily based on:
1. Pigmentation: The type and combination of
photosynthetic pigments such as chlorophylls,
carotenoids, and phycobilins.
2. Reserve Food Material: The form of stored food,
such as starch, oil, or laminarin.
3. Cell Wall Composition: The nature of cell wall
substances (e.g., cellulose, pectin, silica).
4. Thallus Organization: Structural complexity,
ranging from unicellular to complex multicellular
forms.
5. Reproductive Structures: Modes of asexual and
sexual reproduction.
Major Classes of Algae in Fritsch’s Classification:
1. Chlorophyceae (Green Algae): Pigments similar to
higher plants, starch storage, cellulose walls.
 2. Phaeophyceae (Brown Algae): Fucoxanthin
pigment, laminarin storage, alginic acid walls.
3. Rhodophyceae (Red Algae): Phycobilin pigments,
floridean starch, sulfated polysaccharides in walls.
4. Cyanophyceae (Blue-green Algae):
Cyanobacteria with phycocyanin, absence of a true
nucleus.
5. Euglenophyceae, Bacillariophyceae,
Xanthophyceae, and others: Representing various
pigmentation and storage types.
Fritsch's system emphasizes evolutionary
relationships, laying the foundation for modern
taxonomic studies.

General Account of Algal Forms

Algae are an incredibly diverse group of
photosynthetic organisms ranging from microscopic
unicellular forms to large macroscopic seaweeds.
They occur in various habitats such as:
 Aquatic: Freshwater (e.g., Chlamydomonas) and
marine (e.g., Sargassum).
 Terrestrial: Moist soils, tree trunks, and rocks (e.g.,
Trentepohlia).
 Symbiotic: Forming associations with fungi (lichens)
or animals (corals).

Thallus Organization
 Algae exhibit a wide variety of structural forms,
classified into the following types:
1. Unicellular Forms:
o Motile: E.g., Chlamydomonas (flagellated).

o Non-motile: E.g., Chlorella.

2. Colonial Forms:
o Aggregates of cells living in a group (e.g.,

Volvox).
3. Filamentous Forms:
o Cells arranged end-to-end in chains, either

unbranched (e.g., Spirogyra) or branched (e.g.,

Cladophora).
4. Siphonaceous (Coenocytic) Forms:
o Multinucleate thalli without septa (e.g.,

Vaucheria).
5. Parenchymatous Forms:
o True multicellular structures with tissue-like

organization (e.g., Ulva).

6. Complex Macroscopic Forms:
o Large thalli resembling plant structures (e.g.,

Macrocystis in brown algae).

Economic Importance of Algae

1. Food Source:
o Algae are rich in proteins, vitamins, and minerals

(e.g., Porphyra, Spirulina).

2. Industrial Applications:
o Extraction of hydrocolloids:

 Agar: From red algae (Gelidium).

  Alginates: From brown algae (Macrocystis).
 Carrageenan: From red algae (Chondrus).

o Diatoms (Bacillariophyceae) are used in

polishing, filtration, and insulation.

3. Biofuels:
o Algae are a potential source for biodiesel

production due to their high lipid content.

4. Environmental Benefits:
o Carbon sequestration and oxygen production.

o Bioremediation of polluted environments.

5. Pharmaceuticals:
o Algal extracts possess antimicrobial, antiviral,

and antioxidant properties.

2. Habit, thallus structure, pigments,
reproduction, and economic importance of
the following classes Chlorophyceae -
Oedogonium Phaeophyceae- Sargassum
Rhodophyceae-Polysiphonia
Myxophyceae- Nostoc

 Chlorophyceae - Oedogonium
1. Habit and Habitat:
o Found in freshwater, typically attached

to submerged surfaces like rocks,

plants, or freely floating.
2. Thallus Structure:
 o Unbranched, filamentous, multicellular.
o Cells are cylindrical and arranged end-
to-end. Each cell contains a single
nucleus and chloroplasts with
pyrenoids.
3. Pigments:
o Chlorophyll a and b (green pigments),
carotenoids.
4. Reproduction:
o Vegetative: Fragmentation.
o Asexual: Formation of zoospores
(motile, flagellated).
o Sexual: Oogamous; involves
specialized male (antheridia) and
female (oogonia) reproductive
structures.
5. Economic Importance:
o Contributes to oxygen production in
aquatic ecosystems.
o Used in wastewater treatment to
absorb excess nutrients.

 Phaeophyceae – Sargassum
1. Habit and Habitat:
o Marine, common in warm tropical
waters.
o Free-floating or attached to rocks in
coastal areas (e.g., Sargasso Sea).
2. Thallus Structure:
o Macroscopic, parenchymatous, and
highly differentiated.
o Thallus includes structures resembling
roots (holdfast), stems (stipe), and
leaves (fronds).
o Contains air bladders for buoyancy.
3. Pigments:
o Chlorophyll a, c, and fucoxanthin
(responsible for brown coloration).
4. Reproduction:
o Vegetative: Fragmentation.
o Asexual: Formation of zoospores.
o Sexual: Gametes are produced in
specialized structures called
conceptacles; anisogamous or
oogamous reproduction.
5. Economic Importance:
 o Source of alginic acid (used in food,
cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals).
o Habitat and food for marine organisms.

 Rhodophyceae – Polysiphonia
1. Habit and Habitat:
o Marine, commonly found attached to

rocks, shells, or other algae in

intertidal and subtidal zones.
2. Thallus Structure:
o Multicellular, filamentous, and highly

branched.
o Thallus consists of a central axis

surrounded by siphons (hence the

name Polysiphonia).
3. Pigments:
o Chlorophyll a, d, phycoerythrin (red

pigment), and phycocyanin.

4. Reproduction:
o Vegetative: Fragmentation.

o Asexual: Non-motile spores

(carpospores and tetraspores).

 o Sexual: Triphasic life cycle involving
gametophyte, carposporophyte, and
tetrasporophyte stages.
5. Economic Importance:
o Source of agar and carrageenan (used
in food, biotechnology, and
pharmaceuticals).
o Enhances marine biodiversity by
providing habitat.

 Myxophyceae – Nostoc

(Myxophyceae is an older term; the class

is now referred to as Cyanophyceae or
Cyanobacteria.)
1. Habit and Habitat:
o Aquatic or terrestrial; found in

freshwater ponds, moist soils, and

symbiotically in lichens or plant roots
(e.g., Cycas).
2. Thallus Structure:
o Prokaryotic, filamentous, with a

gelatinous sheath surrounding the

colony.
 o Consists of chains of cells (trichomes)
with specialized heterocysts for
nitrogen fixation.
3. Pigments:
o Chlorophyll a, carotenoids,
phycocyanin (blue pigment), and
phycoerythrin (red pigment).
4. Reproduction:
o Vegetative: Fragmentation or
hormogonia (short motile filaments).
o Asexual: Formation of akinetes (thick-
walled resting spores).
o No true sexual reproduction.
5. Economic Importance:
o Fixes atmospheric nitrogen, enriching
soils in agriculture.
o Used as biofertilizer (e.g., in paddy
fields).
o Provides nutritional value (e.g., in
dietary supplements).
SUMMARY TABLE:
R EPRESENTAT THALLUS ECONOMIC
CLASS H ABITAT PIGMENTS REPRODUCTION
IVE STRUCTURE IMPORTANCE

CHLOROPHYCE OEDOGONIUM FRESHWATER FILAMENTOU CHLOROPHYLL FRAGMENTATIO OXYGEN

AE S A, B N , ZOOSPORES , PRODUCTION ,
OOGAMY WASTEWATER
 R EPRESENTAT THALLUS ECONOMIC
CLASS H ABITAT PIGMENTS REPRODUCTION
IVE STRUCTURE IMPORTANCE

TREATMENT

CHLOROPHYLL FRAGMENTATIO ALGINIC ACID,

PHAEOPHYCEA MACROSCOPI
S ARGASSUM MARINE A, C, N , ZOOSPORES , MARINE
E C
FUCOXANTHIN OOGAMY HABITAT

AGAR ,
CHLOROPHYLL FRAGMENTATIO
CARRAGEENAN
RHODOPHYCEA POLYSIPHONI FILAMENTOU A , D , N , SPORES ,
MARINE ,
E A S PHYCOERYTHR TRIPHASIC LIFE
BIODIVERSITY
IN CYCLE
SUPPORT

FILAMENTOU N ITROGEN
CHLOROPHYLL
FRESHWATER/ S H ORMOGONIA , FIXATION ,
MYXOPHYCEAE N OSTOC A,
SOIL (GELATINOUS AKINETES BIOFERTILIZER
PHYCOBILINS
SHEATH ) , NUTRITION