Question

The classification of algae is based on
a. Nature of sex organs
b. Nature of pigments
c. Nature of spores
d. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: In nature, one can see algae in different variety of places, such as lakes, rivers, oceans, and in different water areas and sometimes we can see in the snow, in general, it is green in color, but they are also many colors of algae found on nature.

Complete answer:
- Algae is a eukaryotic, and it is a photosynthetic living form, it does not have any ancestors.
- Some examples of algae include diatoms, Euglenophyta and dinoflagellates.
- Algae can be found as both unicellular and multicellular organisms.
- They have photosynthetic nature, and they contain some specialized cell organelles such as centrioles, flagella which are found in animal cells.
- They don’t have any differentiated structures such as roots, stems, leaves.
- They are generally free and also found in symbiotic relation with others.

Majorly algae are classified based on the pigments found in them, they are
> Red algae:
- They are also called as Rhodophyta
- They commonly found in marines, and freshwater areas
- The red pigment by the names phycocyanin and phycoerythrin are present which impart a red color to the algae

> Green algae:
- In these organisms, primary chlorophyll pigments such as chlorophyll A and chlorophyll B are present along with other pigments such as xanthophyll and beta carotene.
- They are also present in symbiotic relations with higher organisms.
- Some of the examples of green algae are spirogyra, Volvox, etc.

> Blue-green algae:
- In the past, it was considered as algae, they are also called cyanobacteria.
- As they are prokaryotic in nature, they have not come under algae anymore.
- So from the above explanation based on pigment is the correct answer

Hence, The correct answer is option (B).

Note: Apart from the above features important facts about algae is it has economical importance, where they are useful for the production of crude oil, and pharmaceuticals, and other products used by humans.