| The Euglenophyta | page 2 |
Characteristics
of the Euglenophyta |
|
| Main pigments |
Chlorophyll-a and Chlorophyll-b, ß Carotene, Xanthophylls (astaxanthan, antheraxanthan, diadinoxanthan, Neoxanthan); Chlorophyll-c is never present. |
| Nuclear material |
Organised into membrane-bound nucleus |
| Food reserves | Paramylon (ß-1,3 glucan) |
| Chloroplast features | Chloroplast present, membrane 3-layered that is not connected with the endoplasmic reticulum, the thylakoids are stacked in groups of three or more (lamellae), but no girdle lamellae |
| chloroplast endoplasmic reticulum | absent |
| Cell wall | Proteinaceous pellicle |
| Flagella | Usually two,one long and emergent, one short and not emergent, with delicate hairs on one side |
The table gives the remaining key characteristics of the Euglenophyta. The photosynthetic pigments are chlorophyll-a and chlorophyll-b, never chlorophyll-c.
The chloroplast is surrounded by a 3-layered membrane, as is the case in the Dinophyta, and neither membrane is connected to the nucleus via endoplasmic reticulum. Thylakoids are grouped in threes as lamellae, but there is no girdle lamella. The cell wall consists of a proteinaceous pellicle, which is often flexible and allows for euglenoid movement..
