Glaucophyte

The glaucophytes are a small group of freshwater microscopic algae. Together with the red algae (Rhodophyta)  and green algae plus land plants (Viridiplantae or Chloroplastida), they form the Archaeplastida.

The glaucophytes are of interest because they may be similar to the original algal type that led to green plants and red algae. The relationships between these groups are not yet clear, and the glaucophytes in particular need more study.

 Characteristics 
The chloroplasts of glaucophytes are known as 'cyanelles'. Unlike the chloroplasts in other organisms, they have a peptidoglycan layer, like bacterial cell walls. This is thought to be a relic of the endosymbiotic origin of plastids from cyanobacteria.

Glaucophytes have the photosynthetic pigment chlorophyll a. They harvest light with the same type of pigment molecules as do cyanobacteria and red algae. Green algae and land plants have lost that pigment, which is known as phycobiliprotein.Skuja A. 1948. Taxonomie des Phytoplanktons einiger Seen in Uppland, Schweden. Symbolae Botanicae Upsalienses 9 (3): 1-399.

Glaucophyte mitochondria and flagella (if present) are  similar to forms found in some green algae.

 Classification 
Only 13 species of glaucophytes are known, none of which is particularly common in nature. There are three genera.

The glaucophytes were previously placed in the order Chlorococcales.Glaucocystis

 References 

Category:Algae