Cryptomonads
Rhodomonas salina
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Chromalveolata Phylum: Cryptophyta Class: Cryptophyceae
Typical genera
Order Cryptomonadales    Campylomonas    Chilomonas    Chroomonas    Cryptomonas    Falcomonas    Geminigera    Guillardia    Hemiselmis    Plagioselmis    Proteomonas    Storeatula    Rhodomonas    Teleaulax Order Goniomonadales    Goniomonas Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... Kingdoms Eukaryotes are organisms with complex cells, in which the genetic material is organized into membrane-bound nuclei. ... The chromalveolates (Chromalveolata) are a hypothetical grouping of eukaryotes, comprising the Chromista and alveolates, as suggested by Tom Cavalier-Smith. ... Cryptomonas is the name-giving genus of the cryptomonads. ...

The cryptomonads are a small group of flagellates, most of which have chloroplasts. They are common in freshwater, and also occur in marine and brackish habitats. Each cell is around 10-50 μm in size and flattened in shape, with an anterior groove or pocket. At the edge of the pocket there are typically two slightly unequal flagella. Flagellata from Ernst Haeckels Artforms of Nature, 1904 Parasitic excavate (Giardia lamblia) Green alga (Chlamydomonas) Flagellates are cells with one or more whip-like organelles called flagella. ... Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and eukaryotic algae that conduct photosynthesis. ... To help compare different orders of magnitude this page lists lengths between 10 micrometre and 100 micrometre (10-5 m and 10-4 m). ... // A flagellum (plural: flagella) is a long, slender projection from the cell body, composed of microtubules and surrounded by the plasma membrane. ...

Cryptomonads distinguished by the presence of characteristic extrusomes called ejectisomes, which consist of two connected spiral ribbons held under tension. If the cells are irritated either by mechanical, chemical or light stress, they discharge, propelling the cell in a zig-zag course away from the disturbance. Large ejectisomes, visible under the light microscope, are associated with the pocket; smaller ones occur elsewhere on the cell. Extrusomes are membrane-bound structures in some eukaryotes which, under certain conditions, discharge their contents outside the cell. ...

Cryptomonads have one or two chloroplasts, except for Chilomonas which has leucoplasts and Goniomonas which lacks plastids entirely. These contain chlorophylls a and c, together with phycobiliproteins and other pigments, and vary in color from brown to green. Each is surrounded by four membranes, and there is a reduced cell nucleus called a nucleomorph between the middle two. This indicates that the chloroplast was derived from a eukaryotic symbiont, shown by genetic studies to have been a red alga. In molecular biology, the unwanted substances that are taken in by a cell are turned into leukoplasts which create more energy for the chloroplasts and are the building blocks of chloroplasts. ... Chlorophyll gives leaves their green color Space-filling model of the chlorophyll molecule Chlorophyll is a green pigment found in most plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. ... Phycobiliproteins are water-soluble proteins present in cyanobacteria and certain algae (rhodophytes, cryptomonads, glaucocystophytes) that capture light energy which is then passed on to chlorophylls during photosynthesis. ... HeLa cells stained for DNA with the Blue Hoechst dye. ... Nucleomorphs are small, reduced eukaryotic nuclei found in certain plastids. ... Kingdoms Animalia - Animals Fungi Plantae - Plants Chromalveolata Protista Alternative phylogeny Unikonta Opisthokonta Metazoa Choanozoa Eumycota Amoebozoa Bikonta Apusozoa Cabozoa Rhizaria Excavata Corticata Archaeplastida Chromalveolata Animals, plants, fungi, and protists are eukaryotes (IPA: ), organisms whose cells are organized into complex structures by internal membranes and a cytoskeleton. ... Possible classes Florideophyceae Bangiophyceae Cyanidiophyceae Red algae (Rhodophyta, pronounced /ˈrəʊdə(ʊ)ˌfʌɪtə/) are a large group of mostly multicellular, marine algae, including many notable seaweeds. ...

A few cryptomonads, such as Cryptomonas, can form palmelloid stages, but readily escape the surrounding mucus to become free-living flagellates again. Cryptomonad flagella are inserted parallel to one another, and are covered by bipartite hairs called mastigonemes, formed within the endoplasmic reticulum and transported to the cell surface. Small scales may also be present on the flagella and cell body. The mitochondria have flate cristae, and mitosis is open; sexual reproduction has also been reported. Cryptomonas is the name-giving genus of the cryptomonads. ... The endoplasmic reticulum or ER is an organelle found in all eukaryotic cells that is an interconnected network of tubules, vesicles and cisternae that is responsible for several specialized functions: Protein translation, folding, and transport of proteins to be used in the cell membrane (e. ... Electron micrograph of a mitochondrion showing its mitochondrial matrix and membranes In cell biology, a mitochondrion (plural mitochondria) is a membrane-enclosed organelle that is found in most eukaryotic cells. ... Mitochondria structure : 1) Inner membrane 2) Outer membrane 3) Crista 4) Matrix Cristae (singular crista) are the internal compartments formed by the inner membrane of a mitochondrion. ... It has been suggested that Binary fission be merged into this article or section. ... Sexual reproduction is a union that results in increasing genetic diversity of the offspring. ...

Originally the cryptomonads were considered close relatives of the dinoflagellates because of their similar pigmentation. Later botanists treated them as a separate division, Cryptophyta, while zoologists treated them as the flagellate order Cryptomonadida. There is considerable evidence that cryptomonad chloroplasts are closely related to those of the heterokonts and haptophytes, and the three groups are sometimes united as the Chromista. However, the case that the organisms themselves are closely related is not very strong, and they may have acquired chloroplasts independently. Classes Dinophyceae Noctiluciphyceae Syndiniophyceae The dinoflagella are a large group of flagellate protists. ... Typical classes Colored groups Chrysophyceae (golden algae) Synurophyceae Actinochrysophyceae (axodines) Pelagophyceae Phaeothamniophyceae Bacillariophyceae (diatoms) Bolidophyceae Raphidophyceae Eustigmatophyceae Xanthophyceae (yellow-green algae) Phaeophyceae (brown algae) Colorless groups Oomycetes (water moulds) Hypochytridiomycetes Bicosoecea Labyrinthulomycetes (slime nets) Opalinea Proteromonadea The heterokonts or stramenopiles are a major line of eukaryotes containing about 10,500... Orders Class Pavlovophyceae    Pavlovales Class Prymnesiophyceae    Prymnesiales    Phaeocystales    Isochrysidales    Coccolithales The haptophytes, classed either as the Prymnesiophyta or Haptophyta, are a group of algae. ... Phyla Heterokontophyta Haptophyta Cryptophyta The Chromista are a eukaryotic supergroup, which may be treated as a separate kingdom or included among the Protista. ...