Red Algae (Rhodophyta)

• 98 % of red algae species are marine
• Rhodophyte accessory pigments:

  1. Phycoerythrin
  2. Phycocyanin
• Accessory pigments block the green coloration of chlorophylls A and B, leading to the red color of Rhodophytes
• Rhodophyte growth forms:

  1. Filamentous
  2. Blade-like
• Herbivores tend to eat this rhodophyte growth form

  Blade-like
• Adapting to this rhodophyte growth form makes them more parasitic

  Filamentous
• Type of growth on the surface of plants

  Epiphytic
• Type of growth on the surface of animals

  Epizoic
• Commercially-important phycocolloid in red algae cell walls

  Carrageenan
• Red algae have a haploid carposporophyte and a diploid tetrasporophyte
• Main sporangium in red algae reproduction

  Tetrasporophyte
• Creates haploid tetraspores

  Sporangia
• Reproduction order:

  Sporangia -> Tetraspore (haploid) -> Male and female gametophyte -> Carposporophyte -> Carpospores -> Tetrasporophyte (diploid)