?Coccolithaceae
Coccolithophore (Emiliania huxleyi)
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Protista Phylum: Haptophyta Class: Prymnesiophyceae Order: Isochrysidales, Coccolithales

Coccolithophores are single-celled algae, or phytoplankton, belonging to the haptophytes. They are distinguished by special calcium carbonate plates (or scales) of unknown purpose called coccoliths, which are important microfossils. Coccolithophores are exclusively marine and are found in large numbers throughout the surface euphotic zone of the ocean. An example of a globally significant coccolithophore is Emiliania huxleyi. Image File history File links Emiliania huxleyi, a coccolithophore. ... Binomial name Emiliania huxleyi (Hay & Mohler in Hay, Mohler, Roth, Schmidt & Boudreaux, 1967) Emiliania huxleyi is a species of coccolithophore, single-celled phytoplankton that are covered with uniquely ornamented calcite disks. ... Scientific classification or biological classification is how biologists group and categorize extinct and living species of organisms. ... Typical phyla Rhodophyta (red algae) Chromista Heterokontophyta (heterokonts) Haptophyta Cryptophyta (cryptomonads) Alveolates Pyrrhophyta (dinoflagellates) Apicomplexa Ciliophora (ciliates) Excavates Euglenozoa Percolozoa Metamonada Rhizaria Radiolaria Foraminifera Cercozoa Amoebozoa Choanozoa Many others; classification varies The Kingdom Protista or Protoctista is one of the commonly recognized biological kingdoms, including all the eukaryotes except for... Orders Class Pavlovophyceae    Pavlovales Class Prymnesiophyceae    Prymnesiales    Phaeocystales    Isochrysidales    Coccolithales The haptophytes, classed either as the Prymnesiophyta or Haptophyta, are a group of algae. ... A seaweed (Laurencia) up close: the branches are multicellular and only about 1 mm thick. ... Diagrams of some typical phytoplankton Phytoplankton refers to the autotrophic component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. ... Orders Class Pavlovophyceae    Pavlovales Class Prymnesiophyceae    Prymnesiales    Phaeocystales    Isochrysidales    Coccolithales The haptophytes, classed either as the Prymnesiophyta or Haptophyta, are a group of algae. ... Calcium carbonate is a chemical compound, with chemical formula CaCO3. ... Coccoliths are the individual plates formed by coccolithophores such as Emiliana huxleyi1, and arranged around them in a coccosphere. ... The euphotic zone is the surface layer of the ocean where sufficient light is available for photosynthesis. ... The worlds oceans as seen from the South Pacific Ocean Oceans (from Okeanos in Greek, the ancient Greeks noticing the strong current that flowed off Gibraltar and assuming it was a great river) cover almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth, and nearly half of the... Binomial name Emiliania huxleyi (Hay & Mohler in Hay, Mohler, Roth, Schmidt & Boudreaux, 1967) Emiliania huxleyi is a species of coccolithophore, single-celled phytoplankton that are covered with uniquely ornamented calcite disks. ...

Due to their microscopic size and broad distribution of many taxa, coccoliths (calcareous nannoplankton) have become very popular for solving various stratigraphic problems, and many studies have been devoted to that end. Nanofossils are sensitive indicators of changes in the temperature and salinity of the ocean and sea surface water. Quantitative analysis of calcareous nanoplankton assemblages is being employed to reveal such changes. Coccoliths are the individual plates formed by coccolithophores such as Emiliana huxleyi1, and arranged around them in a coccosphere. ... Annual mean sea surface salinity for the World Ocean. ... The worlds oceans as seen from the South Pacific Ocean Oceans (from Okeanos in Greek, the ancient Greeks noticing the strong current that flowed off Gibraltar and assuming it was a great river) cover almost three quarters (71%) of the surface of the Earth, and nearly half of the... Sunset at sea Look up Sea in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Look up maritime in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

References and further reading

Ovechkina, M.N. and Alekseev, A.S. 2005. Quantitative changes of calcareous nanoflora in the Saratov region (Russian Platform) during the late Maastrichtian warming event. Journal of Iberian Geology 31 (1): 149-165. [PDF]

See also

• Brown Algae
• Cyanobacteria
• Diatom
• Golden Algae
• Green Algae
• Ocean acidification
• Pleurochrysis carterae
• Phytoplankton
• Red Algae
• Yellow-Green Algae
• Emiliania huxleyi virus 86

Orders Ascoseirales Chordariales Cutleriales Desmarestiales Dictyosiphonales Dictyotales Ectocarpales Fucales Laminariales (kelps) Scytosiphonales Scytothamnales Sphacelariales Sporochnales Syringodermatales Tilopteridales The Phaeophyta or the brown algae are a large group of multicellular, mostly marine, algae, including many notable seaweeds of northern waters. ... Orders The taxonomy of the Cyanobacteria is currently under revision. ... Diatoms (Gr. ... The golden algae or chrysophytes are a large group of heterokont algae, found mostly in freshwater. ... Divisions Chlorophyta Charophyta The Green Algae are the large group of algae from which the embryophytes (higher plants) emerged. ... Ocean acidification is the name given to the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earths oceans, caused by their uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. ... Diagrams of some typical phytoplankton Phytoplankton refers to the autotrophic component of the plankton that drifts in the water column. ... Possible classes Florideophyceae Bangiophyceae Cyanidiophyceae The red algae (Rhodophyta, pronounced /ˈrəʊdə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə/, ancient greek: rhodos phytos = red plant) are a large group of mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds. ... Yellow-green algae or xanthophytes are an important group of heterokont algae. ...

External links

• University of California, Berkeley. Museum of Paleontology: "Introduction to the Prymnesiophyta".
• The Paleontology Portal: Calcareous Nannoplankton
• What is a Coccolithophore?
• Emiliania huxleyi Home Page