''Polytomella'' is a
genus
Genus ( plural genera ) is a taxonomic rank used in the biological classification of living and fossil organisms as well as viruses. In the hierarchy of biological classification, genus comes above species and below family. In binomial nom ...
of
green algae in the family
Dunaliellaceae. ''Polytomella'' is a free-living, flagellated, nonphotosynthetic green alga with a highly reduced, linear fragmented mitochondrial genome.
''Polytomella'', as it exists today, bears evidence of once having a functional photosynthetic plastid which has over evolutionary time changed such that it would appear now to have no genome or gene expressing mechanisms remaining to it. Having transitioned completely to heterotrophy, ''Polytomella'' uses organic acids, alcohols and monosaccharides as its carbon source.
Despite being an evolutionary descendant of the green algae, Polytomella is a colourless organism because it has lost its photosynthetic ability.
References
External links
Chlamydomonadales
Chlamydomonadales genera
{{Chlorophyceae-stub