History: Classification Systems
Of Algae
• Algae shows varied characteristics morphologically and physiologically.
Many phycologists based their algae classification on their
characteristics such as reserve food material, pigments, flagella, etc.
However, there is no widely accepted algae classification.
• Linnaeus (1753) recognized about 14 genera in Algae out of which
only 4 (Ulva, Conferva, Fucus, and Chara) were accepted as algae. He
divided the entire plant kingdom into 25 classes of which one was
algae.
• [Link] Juddeiu (1789) was the first to limit algae from the rest of the
plant groups.
History: Classification Systems Of
Algae
• Harry (1836) distinguished three groups on the sub-class level.
• Chlorospermae included mainly freshwater green forms including BGA, red
algae and green algae.
• Melanospermae for the marine brown algae
• Rhodospermae for the small red forms
• Stizenberger (1860) classified Chlorospermae into two groups
of Chlorophyceae and Myxophyceae (BGA). In 1874, Sachs
renamed the latter into Cyanophyceae.
History: Classification Systems Of
Algae
• Robenhorst (1863) separated unicellular and colonial (Volvocales) forms
from the sub-class Phytomastigina of class Mastigophora and Phylum
Protozoa. He placed them under a class called Chlorophyllaceae.
• The late eighteenth century saw remarkable works in the field
of phycology by Sirodot (1884), Borned and Flahault (1887), Gommont
(1893), Borzi (1874), Bohlia (1897- 1901), Luther (1899), etc. Luther
(1899) studied the organization of flagella and recognized the types of
isokontae and heterokontae.
History: Classification Systems Of Algae
• J.G. Agardh (1842) divided algae into three groups Zoosporae (green and blue-green),
fucoidae, and floridae. In 1898, he revised his proposals and recognized six orders such
as,
• Diatomaceae
• Nostochineae
• Conforvoideae
• Ulvaceae
• Florideae
• Fucoideae
• Allorge (1938) was the first to recognize Xanthophyceae.
Modern Algae Classifications
• One of the best algae classifications is that of Parker (1982)
which represents the collective view of several leading
phycologists. It recognizes a separation between prokaryotic
forms, which lack membrane-bound organelles, and that include
bacteria, the Cyanophyta.
• The recently proposed Prochlorophyta (Lewin 1976, 1977) and
eukaryotic forms include algae and all other plants.
Bold and Wynne (1978) have recognized nine
divisions in algae.
1. Cyanophycophyta
2. Chlorophycophyta
3. Charophyta
4. Euglenophycophyta
5. Phaeophycophyta
6. Chrysophycophyta
7. Pyrrophycophyta
8. Cryptophycophyta
9. Rhodophycophyta
e recent algae classifications favor six divisions with 14 classes (Parker 1982)
DIVISION CLASS
• Cyanophycota
Prokaryota
• Prochlorophycota
• Rhodophycota Rhodophyceae
Chrysophyceae
Prymnesiophyceae
Eustigmatophyceae
Bacillariophyceae
• Chromophycota
Dinophyceae
Eukaryota Phaeophyceae
Raphidophyceae
Cryptophyceae
• Euglenophycota Euglenophyceae
Chlorophyceae
• Chlorophycota Charophyceae
Prasinophyceae
Pascher 1914-1921
Pasher erected the divisions Chrysophyta and Pyrrophyta in 1921. These divisions included
Chrysophyceae, Bacillariophyceae, and Xanthphyceae. He separated Charophyceae from
Chlorophyceae and elevated to the division Charophyta. Chlorophyta included two classes-
Chlorophyceae and Conjugatae.
DIVISION CLASS
Chrysophyta Chrysophyceae
Diatomeae
Heterokontae
Phaeophyta Phaeophyceae
Pyrrophyta Cryptophycea
Desmokontaee
Dianophyceae
Euglenophyta Euglenophyceae
Chlorophyta Chlorophyceae
Conjugatae
Charophyta Charcaceae
Rhodophyta Bangineae
Floridinae
Cyanophyta Myxophyceae
Classification Of Algae By Smith 1938
Smith’s classification is a modification of Pasher’s. He published an elaborated system of algae classification
in 1955 which is based on the type of pigment, nature of reserve food, structure, and type of flagella
Fritsch 1945
The classification of algae by Fritsch consisted of 11 classes. He did not accept the separation of Charophyta
from Chlorophyta.
Elevation of Conjugales to Conjugatae was not favored.
Elevation of Pyrrophyta and Chrysophyta to division level was not accepted.
Cyanophyta is recognized as a division.
Prescott 1969
Prescott followed Smith’s classification of algae, to a large extent.
Chapman and Chapman 1973
Chapman and Chapman included 11 divisions. Both Xanthophyceae and
Chloromonads possess the same pigment composition, namely chlorophyll a
and beta carotene.
Members of Prasinophyceae differ from Chlorophyceae by their flagellar
structures (minute scales, lateral hairs, terminal tufts, and bipartite
arrangement).
• Thus, algae classification has come a long way over the past century.
the currently accepted algae classification includes the classes,
Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Chloromonodineae,
Cryptophyceae, Chrysophyceae, Dinophyceae, Euglinineae,
Myxophyceae (Cyanophyceae), Phaeophyceae, Rhodophyceae and
Xanthophyceae.
• This is much closer to the classification of algae by Pascher. However,
further divisions into subclasses and beyond, make them world apart.
Yet, characteristics of algae such as their cytological and chemical
nature, that form the base of the classification remain the same…