SUPERGROUP CHROMALVEOLATA

o Chromalveolata (krom-alve-o-LA-tuh)
o Etymology: two roots (one Greek and the other Latin) that mean “color” (chroma) and a small
cavity (alveolus)
o The references are to the bag-like sacs that underline the cell membrane and that many taxa are
pigmented. (photosynthetic)
o Monophyletic
o Diverse morphology
 Unicellular to multicellular
o Synapomorphies
 Origin of chloroplast
 Originated by a secondary endosymbiosis event
-the proposed endosymbiont is a red alga-progenitor of Chi c

Other features:
 Presence of cellulose in cell walls
 Biflagellated
 Two forms: tinsel and whiplash
 Autotrophic or heterotrophic
 Ecological importance
 Producers
 Commercial products
 Red tide