Characiochloridaceae is a family of green algae in the order Chlamydomonadales.[1]

Characiochloridaceae
Chlamydopodium fusiforme
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlamydomonadales
Family: Characiochloridaceae
Skuja
Genera

Characiochloridaceae consists of solitary or rarely clustered cells, attached to a substrate via a stalk or other adhesive organ. Cells are heteropolar, ranging from egg-shaped to spindle- or pear-shaped, but also sometimes spherical. The adhesive part of the cell may be colored brown from iron compounds. The cell contains a single parietal chloroplast, which may be cup-shaped and variously lobed and dissected. Chloroplasts have at least one pyrenoid surrounded by a layer of starch. Vegetative cells are uninucleate, i.e. with one nucleus. Asexual reproduction occurs when the protoplast successively divides into 2-64 zoospores, each with two flagella. Less often, aplanospores or autospores are formed. Sexual reproduction has been observed, but is rare.[2]

The taxonomy of Characiochloridaceae is in need of revision, as phylogenetic studies using rDNA have shown that it is not monophyletic. The type genus, Characiochloris, is closely related to genera in the family Characiosiphonaceae.[3]

References

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  1. ^ See the NCBI webpage on Characiochloridaceae. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  2. ^ Ettl, Hanuš; Gärtner, Georg (2013). Syllabus der Boden-, Luft- und Flechtenalgen (in German) (2nd ed.). Springer-Verlag. ISBN 9783642394614.
  3. ^ Buchheim, Mark A.; Buchheim, Julie A.; Carlson, Tracy; Kugrens, Paul (2002). "Phylogeny of Lobocharacium (Chlorophyceae) and allies: a study of 18S and 26S rDNA data". Journal of Phycology. 38 (2): 376–383. Bibcode:2002JPcgy..38..376B. doi:10.1046/j.1529-8817.2002.01145.x. S2CID 84640090.