Picophagea Explained

Picophagea, also known as Synchromophyceae, is a class of photosynthetic stramenopiles. The chloroplast of the Synchromophyceae are surrounded by two membranes and arranged in a way where they share the outer pair of membranes. The entire chloroplast complex is surrounded by an additional two outer membranes.

Evolution

Synchromophyceae or Picophagea is a clade within the Ochrophyta that contains a few genera of amoeboid organisms such as the mixotrophic Synchromonas and the heterotrophic Chlamydomyxa, Leukarachnion and Picophagus. It is phylogenetically close to the classes Chrysophyceae and Eustigmatophyceae, within the SII clade.

Taxonomy

According to AlgaeBase, the class contains only two genera:^[1]

• Class Picophagea [='''Synchromophyceae''' {{au|S.Horn & C.Wilhelm 2007}}]
  • Order Synchromales Horn & Ehlers 2007
    • Family Synchromaceae Schnetter & Ehlers 2007
      • Genus Synchroma Schnetter 2007
  • Order Chlamydomyxales
    • Family Chlamydomyxaceae
      • Genus Chlamydomyxa Archer 1875

However, the latest revision recognizes an additional four genera: Chrysopodocystis, Guanochroma, Leukarachnion and Picophagus.

Notes and References

1. Web site: Synchromophyceae. Guiry, M.D. . Guiry, G.M. . 2016 . AlgaeBase . 3. 2019-09-20.