''Picocystis'' is a monotypic

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, the sole species is ''Picocystis salinarum''. It is placed within its own

class Class or The Class may refer to: Common uses not otherwise categorized * Class (biology), a taxonomic rank * Class (knowledge representation), a collection of individuals or objects * Class (philosophy), an analytical concept used differentl ...

, Picocystophyceae in the division

Chlorophyta Chlorophyta or Prasinophyta is a taxon of green algae informally called chlorophytes. The name is used in two very different senses, so care is needed to determine the use by a particular author. In older classification systems, it refers to a ...

Structure

''Picocystis salinarum'' cells under normal conditions have a spherical or oval shape. Their size ranges from 2 to 3μm (micrometer, 10^-6) in diameter. Under conditions of nutrient depletion they appear to form a trillobe shape. This trillobe shape gives it the nickname Mickey Mouse, due to its appearance to the famous character's head. The general appearance resembles that of a standard green algae. The pigments are composed mainly from chlorophyll a and b and the carotenoids violaxanthin, alloxanthin, monadoxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin. The cell wall is mainly composed of polymers of the monosaccharide arabinose, polyarabinose.

Habitat

The species have been found in saline or hypersaline alkaline environments. Picocystis salinarum

References

External links

Chlorophyta genera Monotypic algae genera Chlorophyta {{green algae-stub