PHYCOLOGY

Morphological Diversity within the

algae
Morphological diversity within the algae
Vegetative structure
among algae
is variable.
Two main forms:
Unicellular and
Multicellular

UNICELLULAR FORMS
coccoid / non-motile cells/
Non-flagellated
Chlorella sp.
Morphological diversity within the algae

Unicellular motile cells

Flagellated /motile

Chlamydomonas species
Morphological diversity within the algae

MULTICELLULAR FORMS
Algal colonies
Coccoid / non-motile colonies
 Hydrodictyon species
Morphological diversity within the algae Flagella absent
COENOBIA

Non-motile
coenobium

Volvox species
Motile coenobium

Flagella present
Tetraspora sp
Prasinocladus sp.

Multicellular

Aggregations
Morphological diversity within the algae:
Filamentous forms Cladophora sp
Filamentous algae:
branched and unbranched

Unbranched Branched filamentous

Filamentous

Ulothrix sp
 Morphological diversity in
prokaryotic algae (Cyanobacteria)
False branching in Cyanobacteria

True branching
Heterotrichous construction in algae
Heterotrichous forms: erect and prostrate
systems e.g., Stigeoclonium
Heterotrichous forms: prostrate system
with the other reduced
Morphological diversity within the algae: Siphonous algae
Siphonous /Coenocytic algae CELLS UNINUCLEATE OR COENOCYTIC: MANY
(seaweeds) NUCLEI ARE DISPERSED THROUGHOUT THE
CYTOPLASM OF THE CELL.
Results from repeated cell division
without formation of cross walls to
Caulerpa
form cells.
They are just giant unicellular cells.
Cross walls appear only during
reproduction

Caulerpa

Bryopsis Caulerpa

Bryopsis
Pseudoparenchymatous: Nemalion sp

Pseudoparenchymatous: Polysiphonia sp.

Morphological Diversity within the algae:
Parenchymatous forms
Padina
Ulva

Section of thallus of Ulva

with two layers of cells thick
Parenchyma

Advanced forms
 Assignment
Summarise the morphological variation
found eukaryotic algae and cyanobacteria