| Picocystis | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Picocystis salinarum | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Chlorophyta |
| Class: | Picocystophyceae Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos |
| Order: | Picocystales Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos |
| Family: | Picocystaceae Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos |
| Genus: | Picocystis R.A.Lewin 2001 emend. Eikrem & Lopes dos Santos 2017 |
| Species: | P. salinarum |
| Binomial name | |
| Picocystis salinarum R.A.Lewin 2001 | |
Picocystis is a monotypicgenus ofgreen algae, the sole species isPicocystis salinarum.[1] It is placed within its ownclass,Picocystophyceae in the divisionChlorophyta.[2]
Picocystis salinarum cells under normal conditions have a spherical or oval shape. Their size ranges from 2 to 3 μm in diameter. Under conditions of nutrient depletion they appear to form a trillobe shape. This trillobe shape gives it the nicknameMickey Mouse, due to its appearance to the famous character's head. The general appearance resembles that of a standard green alga.
The pigments are composed mainly from chlorophylla andb and the carotenoids violaxanthin, alloxanthin, monadoxanthin, neoxanthin, lutein, diatoxanthin and zeaxanthin.[3][4]
Thecell wall is mainly composed of polymers of the monosaccharidearabinose, polyarabinose.[3]
The species have been found insaline or hypersalinealkaline environments.[5][6]
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