Ochrophyte

Ochrophytes
Temporal range: Middle Proterozoic
Dense kelp forest with understorey at Partridge Point near Dave's Caves, Cape Peninsula
Dense kelp forest with understory at Partridge Point near Dave's Caves, Cape Peninsula
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Sar
Clade: Stramenopiles
Clade: Gyrista
Division: Ochrophyta
Cavalier-Smith 1986, emend. Cavalier-Smith & Chao 1996
Type genus
Ochromonas
Vysotskij 1887
Subgroups
Diversity
23,314 described species
>100,000 estimated species
Synonyms
  • Heterokontophyta Guiry, Andersen & Moestrup 2023
  • Ochrista Cavalier-Smith 1986
  • Stramenochromes Leipe et al. 1994

Ochrophytes, also known as heterokontophytes or stramenochromes, are a phylum of algae. They are the photosynthetic stramenopiles, a group of eukaryotes, organisms with a cell nucleus, characterized by the presence of two unequal flagella, one of which has tripartite hairs called mastigonemes. In particular, they are characterized by photosynthetic organelles or plastids enclosed by four membranes, with membrane-bound compartments called thylakoids organized in piles of three, chlorophyll a and c as their photosynthetic pigments, and additional pigments such as β-carotene and xanthophylls. Ochrophytes are one of the most diverse lineages of eukaryotes, containing ecologically important algae such as brown algae and diatoms. They are classified either as phylum Ochrophyta, Heterokontophyta or as subphylum Ochrophytina within phylum Gyrista. Their plastids are of red algal origin.

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