Euglenophyceae

Euglenophyceae
Euglena viridis, by Ehrenberg
Scientific classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Discoba
Phylum: Euglenozoa
Class: Euglenida
Clade: Spirocuta
Clade: Euglenophyceae
Schoenichen, 1925 emend. Marin & Melkonian, 2003
Type genus
Euglena
Ehrenberg, 1830
Orders
Synonyms
  • Euglenea Butschli, 1884 emend. Busse & Preisfeld, 2002

Euglenophyceae (ICNafp, proposed as a class) or Euglenea (ICZN, proposed as a class) is an unranked clade of single-celled algae belonging to the phylum Euglenozoa. They have chloroplasts originated from an event of secondary endosymbiosis with a green alga. They are distinguished from other algae by the presence of paramylon as a storage product and three membranes surrounding each chloroplast.