The main characteristics of chlorophyceae are:
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The members of the family are commonly known as green algae.
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The photosynthetic pigments present are chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, Carotenes and Xanthophyll.
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Pyrenoids occur in the chloroplast which is a means of starch storage.
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Starch is a means of stored food.
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The member of the family shows wide range of thallus organization.
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Most of the members are filamentous.
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The cell wall is three layered; the inner layer is cellulosic, the middle layer of pectic compound, outer layer of chitin.
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All the cell organelles such as the chloroplast, golgi bodies, mitochondria, endoplasmic reticulum, ribosomes are present.
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Motile members possess two contractile vacuoles.
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Reproduction in the green algae occurs by asexual and sexual methods.
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Asexual reproduction takes place by fragmentation, aplanospores, zoospores etc.
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Sexual reproduction occurs by isogamy, anisogamy and oogamy.