Macroalgae (seaweeds)

prefLabel
  • Macroalgae (Seaweeds)
definition
  • Macroalgae, or seaweeds, are the dominant marine plants inhabiting temperate coasts. Macroalgae contain chlorophyll and an assortment of additional pigments spanning the visible spectrum from blue to red. Historically, classification was based on pigmentation. at present, the classification of marine algae relies on additional diagnostic characteristics. Although pigmentation is only one of the characteristics used to classify the algae, the original names, which were based on color, have been retained. The major divisions of seaweed are green algae (Chlorophyta), red algae (Rhodophyta), and brown algae (Phaeophyta). 
narrower
inScheme
broader