Occurrence and habitat

of algae
A. Hydrophytes
(Aquatic algae):
Either submerged or free
floating on water surface
Chara sp. Nitella sp.
Oedogonium sp. Chaetophora sp.
 Neospongiococcum sp.
Phormidium sp. (Chlorococcaceae)
Planktophytes – float on
water surface; subdivided
into:
(i) Euplanktophytes

(i) Tychoplanktophytes
Diatoms Chlorococcales
Spirogyra sp. Nostoc sp.
Dunaliella salina single celled,
salt water, beta-carotene Ulva sp.
Fish Turtle
Algae growing on other Oedogonium growing on
algae or plants plants
B. EDAPHOPHYTES: also
referred to as terrestrial
algae, occur on
or under soil
Vaucheria Protosiphon
Scytonema sp. Scytonema sp
Referred to as “Air algae” are algae in
aerial habitats. Live on moist rocks,
walls, tree trunks, fencing wires or
other aerial substrata

(i) Epiphyllophytes
(ii) Epihloeophytes
Micro-algae on plants Micro-algae on plants
Trentepohlia abietina on
Trentepohlia aurea
the bark of ash trees (UK)
Epilithic Epilithic
Calothrix growing on
rocks Ectocarpus sp.
 Algae inside broken rock
Dalmatella sp.
from Dry Valley - Antartica
Cryophytes (Snow algae)
Grow on ice and snow, impart
various colours to snow, mainly
red, yellow and green.

Green snow
Red snow
Green snow associated with Red snow associated with
Chlamydomonas, Mesotaenium Scotiella and some diatoms
 Azolla sp

Section through leaf of Azolla sp

Anabaena in roots of
Cycas sp. Anabaena sp.
Symbiotic with fungi, leading to
formation of lichens. Algal
component of lichens include
Nostoc,
Chlorella,
Scytonema
Found inside body of animals
e.g., Zoochlorella in body of
Hydra