RED ALGAE What is red algae? Red algae are multicellular seaweeds .

Divers have found red algae growing more than 260 meters below oceans sea surface .Their red pigment are good at absorbing the small amount of light that is able to reach deep ocean waters. People use red algae in variety of ways substances extracted from red algae. Carrageenan and agar are used in ice cream and hair conditioner. It is also eaten fresh or toasted by many Asians. Belong on subkingdom Thallophyta. Distinguishing features of red algae? Red algae have a number of general characteristics that in combination distinguish them from other eukaryotic groups: absence of flagella and centrioles floridean starch as a storage product and the storage of starch in the cytoplasm phycoerythrin, phycocyanin, and allophycocyanin as accessory pigments unstacked thylakoids in plastids no chloroplast endoplasmic reticulum Uniqueness of red algae? According to Woelkerling 1990 The Rhodophyta (red algae) are a distinct eukaryotic lineage characterized by the accessory photosynthetic pigments phycoerythrin, phycocyanin and allophycocyanins arranged in phycobilisomes, and the absence of flagella and centrioles. According to Lning 1990 This is a large assemblage of between 2500 and 6000 species in about 670 largely marine genera that predominate along the coastal and continental shelf areas of tropical, temperate and cold-water regions Red algae are ecologically significant as primary producers, providers of structural habitat for other marine organisms, and their important role in the primary establishment and maintenance of coral reefs. Some red algae are economically important as providers of food and gels. For this reason, extensive farming and natural harvest of red algae occurs in numerous areas of the world. Kingdom: Plantae or Protista Division: Rhodophyta Class: Florideophycidae Order: Halymeniales Family: Halymeniaceae Genus: Prionitis Species: lanceolata

Classification controversy:

Further proving that Prionitis lanceolata is a shifty fellow, in the past it has been classified under several other genera. Harvey, one of the first scientists who characterized it, originally thought it was Gelidium. It has also been mistaken for Sphaerococcus (all members in this genus have since been reassigned) and Grateloupia. In fact, a paper published in 2001 suggests that Prionitis species should be included in the genus Grateloupia, based on morphological and molecular similarities between the two genera. The authors especially make note of similarities between vegetative and reproductive structures as well as genetic similarities of a specific gene sequence (ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase).

Kingdom: Plantae or Protista It has been a classical debate whether algae belong to the plants or the protists. Algae are not as complex as members of the plant kingdom, since they lack vascular tissue, true roots, and other such structures. However, most algae are considerably more complex than protists, which are almost wholly unicellular and are not photosynthetic. Despite this, Protista is currently the more acceptable kingdom designation for the algae. Division: Rhodophyta Informally called "red algae," members of this division derive their color from phycoerythrin which is their dominant photosynthetic pigment. They store their food as floridean starch. Most are perennial* and dioecious*. Nonmotile spores and gametes are a unique characteristic of the reds. Class: Florideophycidae Florideans have a three-stage life history, consisting of gametophyte*, carposporophyte*, and tetrasporophyte* stage. Sexual reproduction is oogamous*. Order: Halymeniales Cells usually have one nucleus with one or a few chloroplasts without pyrenoids*. Reproductive structures are often in sori*, nemathecia*, or conceptacles*. Family: Halymeniaceae The morphology of female reproductive structures and post-fertilization events are the distinguishing characteristics between families, even though vegetative structures are more practical for identification. However, general morphological characteristics include the thallus* being multiaxial*, erect, and mostly bladelike. Tetrasporangia* are cruciately* divided and are usually isolated just beneath the surface of the thallus or loosely aggregated in sori*. Spermatangia* are usually in superficial patches.

Characteristics: The red colour of these algae results from the pigments phycoerythrin and phycocyanin; this masks the other pigments, Chlorophyll a (no Chlorophyll b), beta-carotene and a number of unique xanthophylls. The main reserves are typically floridean starch, and floridoside; true starch like that of higher plants and green algae is absent. The walls are made of cellulose and agars and carrageenans, both long-chained polysaccharide in widespread commercial use. There are some unicellular representatives of diverse origin; more complex thalli are built up of filaments.

A very important group of red algae is the coralline algae, which secrete calcium carbonate onto the surface of Corallina officinalis their cells. Some of these corallines are articulated (right, Corallina, with flexible erect branches; others are crustose (below). These corallines have been used in bonereplacement therapies. Coralline algae were used in ancient times as vermifuges, thus the binomial Corallina officinalis.

Several red algae are eaten: best known amongst these is dulse (Palmaria palmata above) and Carrageen Moss (Chondrus crispus and Mastocarpus stellatus).

HPhymatolithon purpureumowever, Nori, popularised by the Japanese is the single most valuable marine crop grown by aquaculture with a value in excess of US$1 billion. More information on aquaculture.

The red algae Kappaphycus and Betaphycus are now the most important sources of carrageenan, a commonly used ingredient in food, particuarly yoghurts, chocolate milk and repared puddings. Gracilaria, Gelidium, Pterocladia and other red algae are used in the manufacture of the all-important agar, used widely as a growth medium for microorganisms, and for food and biotechnological applications.

AlgaeBase dynamic species counts shows that there are about 10,000 species of seaweeds, of which about 6,500 are red algae (Rhodophyta), the vast majority of which are marine. These are found in the intertidal and in the subtidal to depths of up to 40, or occasionally, 250 m. The main biomass of red algae worldwide is provided by the Corallinaceae and Gigartinaceae.

HABITAT Most rhodophytes are marine, although freshwater species are found; these generally prefer clean, running water, but with some exceptions

Organs The thallus of this endophytic alga consists of irregularly branched filaments, the cells of which are usually somewhat swollen in the middle. Each cell possesses a stellate chromatophore. Our material is dioecious, female and male organs may occur occasionally on the same individual. The spermatangia arise as clavate protrusions and usually occur in groups of two or three. They are sessile or pedicellate. The carpogonium is flask shaped, situated singly at the lateral side or terminal end of a vegetative cell. The fertilized carpogonium enlarges by a process of protruding, and gives off two or more gonimoblast initials. The first division is longitudinal. The initials grow and divide into a spherical mass of cells many of which become carposporangia ultimately. Monosporangia are ovoid in shape, sessile or stalked, unilaterally sedated. The family Acrochaetiaceae is an extremely difficult group which has not yet received sufficient study. From all currently accepted genera (see Papenfuss 1945, 1947; Kylin 1956), however, Liagorophila can be distinguished by its unique manner of the first division of fertilized carpogonium. A search of literature has been made for comparing L. endophytica with somewhat 90 other endophytic and endozoic species of the same family; it is revealed that L. endophytica approaches very near to Kylinia liagorae (Boer- gesen) Papenfuss and may be identical with this species.

IMPORTANCE Some red algae are reef builders in tropical seas, as important or more important than coral animals. The red algae act as habitat and food for some animals. Some red algae are even eaten by humans, mostly in Eastern Asia. Phycocolloids which are starch-like chemicals found in red algae and some other types of sweaweeds is often used in food processing. These starches are gelatinous substances (thich gel solutions) used in many things we consume and use in everyday life. They are in such high demand because they are able to form viscous suspensions or gels even in the harshest of temperatures. A thick gel solution called agar is one type of phycocolloid extracted from red algae. It is found in the walls of small filamentous red algae and is used in ice cream, whipped cream, fruit syrups, chocolate milk, bread, and macaroni. In these dairy products the agar is used as a thickener. Agar is also used to protect certain foods like ham, fish and different types of meat during canning. It causes these dairy products to have a smooth texture and stops them from seperating. It is also used in toothpaste, pharmaceutical jellies, and many kinds of lotions. The agar used to grow bacteria and other media, such as the bread mold is also derived from red algae. A second type of phycocolloid extracted from red algae is carrageenan which plays a very similar role to agar in the dairy product industry. Carrageenan is also used as an emulsifier to give body to dairy products and processed foods.