Pelagophycidae Explained

Pelagophycidae is a subclass of heterokont algae.It is the sister group of the axodines. Together, they form the class Dictyochophyceae.

All known species are marine. They can be single-celled (coccoid or flagellate), palmelloid or filamentous. Some members (Pelagomonas) belong to picoplankton, and some other (Sarcinochrysis) are macroscopic attached organisms.

The subclass contains 13 genera, 3 families and 2 orders (2017):^[1]

Order Pelagomonadales Andersen & Saunders 1993
- Family Pelagomonadaceae Andersen & Saunders 1993
  - genus Ankylochrysis Billard 1995
  - genus Aureococcus Hargraves & Sieburth 1988
  - genus Chrysophaeum Lewis & Bryan 1941 non Taylor 1951
  - genus Pelagococcus Norris 1977
  - genus Pelagomonas Andersen & Saunders 1993
Order Sarcinochrysidales Gayral & Billard 1977
- Family Chrysocystaceae Melkonian, Yoon & Andersen 2018
  - genus Chrysocystis Lobban, Honda & Chihara 1995
  - genus Chrysoreinhardia Billard 2000
  - genus Sungminbooa Yoon & Andersen 2018
- Family Sarcinochrysidaceae Gayral & Billard 1977
  - genus Andersenia Wetherbee & Waller 2015
  - genus Arachnochrysis Andersen & Han 2018
  - genus Aureoscheda Wynne & Andersen 2014
  - genus Aureoumbra Stockwell et al. 1997
  - genus Chrysonephos Taylor 1952
  - genus Nematochrysopsis Billard 2000
  - genus Pelagospilus Andersen & Graf 2018
  - genus Sarcinochrysis Geitler 1930
  - genus Sargassococcus Andersen & Han 2018

It is expected that molecular studies will add more species to this list.

Notes and References

A Re-investigation of Sarcinochrysis marina (Sarcinochrysidales, Pelagophyceae) from its Type Locality and the Descriptions of Arachnochrysis, Pelagospilus, Sargassococcus and Sungminbooa genera nov. . Han, K. . Graf, L. . Reyes, C. P. . Melkonian, B. . Andersen, R. A. . Yoon, H. S. . Melkonian, M. . 2018 . Protist . 169 . 1 . 79–10 . 10.1016/j.protis.2017.12.004.