There are three kinds of photosynthetic pigments found in algae. They are:
(1) Chlorophylls: There are five types of chlorophylls. Chlorophyll a, b, c , d and e. They distribution among the different classes of algae are listed in the table below. They are lipid soluble
|
Type
|
Presence
|
|
Chlorophyll a
|
Present in all algae
|
|
Chlorophyll b
|
Found in Chlorophycophyta and Euglenophycophyta divisions
|
|
Chlorophyll c
|
Present in members of Bacillariophycophyta, Xanthophycophyta, Chrysophycophyta, Pyrrophycophyta, Phaeophycophyta and Cryptophycophyta
|
|
Chlorophyll d
|
Present in only Rhodophycophyta
|
|
Chlorophyll e
|
Very rare and present in only two genera of Xanthophycophyta
|
(2) Carotenoids: They are of two kinds. Carotenes which are linear, unsaturated hydrocarbons and xanthophylls which are oxygenated derivatives. They are lipid soluble
(3) Phycobilins (Biloproteins): These are water soluble protein complexes found only in two algal divisions - Rhodophycophyta and Cryptophycophyta. There are two kinds of phycobilins- Phycocyanin and Phycoerythrin.
