Question

Why are algae different colors?

Answer 1

Algae:

1. Algae are a group of aquatic organisms capable of photosynthesizing.
2. They differ in shape and size, from microscopic Chlamydomonas to colonial forms like Volvox and filamentous forms like Ulothrix.
3. Algae are found in different colors because of the different pigments present in them.
4. According to their colors, algae are divided into three categories: Chlorophyceae, Phaeophyceae, and Rhodophyceae

Chlorophyceae:

1. Chlorophyceae are green-colored algae.
2. They are green because of the dominance of pigment chlorophyll a and b.
3. Common examples of Chlorophyceae are Chlamydomonas, Volvox, Ulothrix, and Spirogyra.

Phaeophyceae:

1. Phaeophyceae are brown-colored algae.
2. They are mostly found in marine waters. They are algae that can reach up to 100m in length.
3. They attain their brown colors because of the dominancy of pigments chlorophyll a, c, carotenoids, and xanthophylls.
4. Common examples of Phaeophyceae are Ectocarpus, Dictyota, Laminaria, Sargassum, and Fucus.

Rhodophyceae:

1. Rhodophyceae are red-colored algae.
2. They are mostly found in marine waters but with great concentration can be found in warmer areas.
3. They attain their red color due to the dominance of pigment red pigment, r-phycoerythrin in their body.
4. Some examples of Rhodophyceae are Polysiphonia, Porphyra, Gracilaria, and Gelidium.