Question

A biologist discovers an algae that is marine, multicellular, lives in deep water and has phycoerythrin. It possibly belongs to the group________.

• A. Chlorophycea
• B. Xanthophycea
• C. Phaeophycea
• D. Rhodophycea

Answer 1

The correct option is D Rhodophycea

• The main characteristics of Rhodophyceae are:
• The members of the family are commonly known as red algae.
• The characteristic red colour of the algae is due to the presence of phycobilins.
• Most of the members are marine.
• The cell wall contains agar and carrageenan.
• Food is stored in the form of Floridian starch.
• Motile stages are absent in red algae.
• Vegetative reproduction by fragmentation, asexually by non-motile spores.
• Sexual reproduction occurs by oogamy.
• Fruiting body of the red algae is known as Cystocarp.

Chlorophyceae: They are usually green due to the dominance of pigments chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b.
Xanthophyte chloroplasts contain the photosynthetic pigments Chlorophyll a, Chlorophyll c, carotene, and the carotenoid dia-dinoxanthin.
Phaeophyta (brown algae): A phylum of algae in which the green chlorophyll pigments are usually masked by the brown pigment fucoxanthin.