KINGDOM II - Protoctista

Class: Prochlorobacteriae

Genera:
• Prochloron - a unicellular marine organism symbiotic on
sea squirts. Discovered 1976. Chlorophlylls a and b;
carotenoids
• Prochlorothrix - free living capable of growing in culture.
Discovered in Holland.
• Unnammed organism - discovered in late '80's. Appears
to be one of the two most numerous bacteria living in ocean
waters.

Note:
The discovery of these organisms adds weight to the
theory that chloroplasts may have originated from
cells living within cells.
• Class: Cyanobacteriae 17,000 living
species
• Chroococcus
• Chroococcus, a simple unicellular
organism is most often found in the bottom
sludge of lakes and ponds.
Chroococcus turgidus. Drawing of the surface view of a dividing cell

and a photomicrograph of the same species.

• Microcystis
• When nutrients and water temperature are
favorable for growth, this blue-green algae
produces toxins which often cause the
death of cattle and birds that drink the
water containing it.
• Diagram and a photomicrograph of a
species of Microcystis .The planes of
division in this simple colonial cyanophyte
are irregular and the cells become
oriented in a very diffuse manner. The
colony of cells that forms is simply a
diffuse mass of cells.
Merismopedia
• A colonial algae which reproduces solely
by fission. Cell division is restricted to two
directions and this results in a row-like
arrangement of cells in these flat colonies
Gloeocapsa
• Compared to Chroococcus,, the sheaths
of Gloeocapsa are thicker and more
prominent. Colonies are generally more
complex and are composed of more
individual cells.
Photomicrograph of Gloeocapsa 400x
Order: Oscillatoriales
Oscillatoria
• Oscillatoria occurs as a single row of cells
called a trichome. It demonstrates forward,
backward and rotational movement in
aqueous media.
• Left photo: Uniseriate filament; Middle:
Formation of separation disk. The filament
separates at the disk to form a
hormogonia. Right: Hormogonia then
grows into a new filament.
Photomicrograph of Oscillatoria 100x
 Gloetrichia
Filaments of Gloeotrichia taper to fine points or hairs

• Photomicrograph of Gloetrichia 100x illustrates the

growth habit of this organism.
• The word Gloeotrichia comes from the
Greek meaning "gelatinous hair". Akinetes
give rise to new trichomes under proper
conditions.
Nostoc
• Photomicrographs of Nostoc at 100x and
400x. This genus is demonstrative of the
filamentous monerans. It is found in both
aquatic and terrestrial habitats in this
threadlike form.
Anabaena
• Anabaena is a filamentous, unbranched
organism found widely in fresh and salt
waters.
• http://home.manhattan.edu/~frances.cardill
o/plants/protoc/chloroph.html