All Sarcondia are heterotrophic, unicellular protists that move and feed with flexibe cytoplasmic extentions called psuedopods. They are aquatic and terrestrial forms, and most are free-living with the exception of a few parasitics. Some reproduce sexually, while others are asexual. There are several hundred living species in this phylum.
Bacillariophyta are unicellular photosynthetic inhabitants of freshwater and salt water. All secrete a unique shell made of opaline silica that resembles a box with a lid. The chloroplasts look like blown algae. They contain chlorophylls a and c and fucoxanthin. They are an importnant component of plankton. There are more than 11,500 species within.
All organisms within Euglenophyta are unicellular and their cells lack a cell wall and are surrounded by a flexible proteirn called pellicle. There are both photosynthetic and heterotrophic species here, but all are asexual. Most of them live in fesh water and the chloroplasts are similar to green algae. They are thought to have evolved from the same symbiotic bacteria. There are approximately 1,000 species here.
Coralline Alga (Calliarthron tuberculosum) Since these algae deposit calcium carbonate (limestone) in most of their cell walls, red corallines have the appearance and rough texture of coral. Grazing on these calcified algae would be like eating marble, so most hungry herbivores feed elsewhere. They live underwater in salt water. Coralline algae take two different forms. Articulated species grow upright and have “branches” with flexible, uncalcified joints that withstand strong water motion. Crustose species encrust mostly on rocks, although they may also grow on plants or animals. All the different kinds of crustose algae cover more surface area than any alga species in the world. They take sunlight and convert it into needed energy. These are very versatile and have been found in the shallows, as well as up to 500 feet.
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