Chromalveolates | |
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Clockwise from top-left: a haptophyte, some diatoms, an oomycete, a cryptomonad, and Macrocystis, a phaeophyte | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | |
(unranked): | |
Kingdom: | Cavalier-Smith 1998 |
Phyla | |
Chromalveolata is a eukaryote supergroup first proposed by Thomas Cavalier-Smith as a refinement of his kingdom Chromista, which was first proposed in 1981.
The origin of the Chromalveolata was thought to be a secondary endosymbiosis between a bikont (cell with two flagella) and a red alga. This union led to plastids containing chlorophyll c. In Cavalier-Smith's classification, the Chromalveolata was one of the six major groups within the eukaryotes.
The classification has been challenged. view more...