Haptophytes | |
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Coccolithophore (Coccolithus pelagicus) | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | |
Kingdom: | |
Phylum: | Haptophyta Hibberd 1976 |
Orders | |
Class Pavlovophyceae |
Haptophytes are a phylum of algae, sometimes called the Prymnesiophyta. All or most of them are single-celled photosynthetic phytoplankton.
The cells typically have two slightly unequal flagella and a unique organelle called a haptonema. This is superficially similar to a flagellum, but differs in its arrangement of microtubules, and in its use. The name comes from the Greek hapsis = touch, and nema = thread. view more...