The rhodophyceae is called red algae, as it imparts often a red colour to the thallus.
There are about 400 genera and 4000 species of red algae. They are predominantly marine, though fresh water types are also available. These algae contain pigments like phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, chlorophyll a and d, beta carotene etc.
Class Rhodophyceae (Red algae)
1. Fresh water and marine, with multicellular and filmentous to parenchymatous body.
2. Cells are eukaryotic
3. Chief pigments are chlorophyll a and d, beta carotene, lutein, fucoxanthin, myxoxanthin and violaxanthin.
4. Reserve food includes floridean starch and polymers of galactan sulphate
5. Sexual reproduction is absent. and advanced type of oogamy.
6. Zoospore formation is absent.
7. Male gametes are non flagellate
8. Life cycle is haplobiontic or diplobiotic, with alternation of generations
