Haematococcus is a genus of algae in the family Haematococcaceae. Members of this group are a common cause of the pink color found in birdbaths.[1] One of the most notable species of Haematococcus is H. pluvialis, which is used in cosmetic products due to its production of astaxanthin, a powerful antioxidant carotenoid, under stress conditions.

Haematococcus
Two individuals of an unidentified Haematococcus species
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlamydomonadales
Family: Haematococcaceae
Genus: Haematococcus
Wille in Warming, 1884
Species

Haematococcus capensis
Haematococcus carocellus
Haematococcus droebakensis
Haematococcus lacustris
Haematococcus murorum
Haematococcus pluvialis
Haematococcus thermalis
Haematococcus zimbabwiensis

References

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  1. ^ See the NCBI webpage on Haematococcus. Data extracted from the "NCBI taxonomy resources". National Center for Biotechnology Information. Retrieved 2007-03-19.
  2. ^ Frank Shipley Collins. The Green Algae of North America, Volume II of Tufts College Studies, Published by Tufts College, 1909, pp 79-480. From Plate II.

Further reading

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  • Nozaki H, Onishi K, Morita E (2002). "Differences in pyrenoid morphology are correlated with differences in the rbcL genes of members of the Chloromonas lineage (Volvocales, Chlorophyceae)". J Mol Evol. 55 (4): 414–430. doi:10.1007/s00239-002-2338-9. PMID 12355262.
  • Gutman, J., Zarka, A and Boussiba, S. 2009. The host-range of Paraphysoderma sedebokerensis, a chytrid that infects Haematococcus pluvialis. Eur. J. Phycol. 44: 509 - 514.