Haematococcus

Haematococcus
Two individuals of Haematococcus sp.
Scientific classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlamydomonadales
Family: Haematococcaceae
Genus: Haematococcus
Flotow, 1844
Species

Haematococcus alpinus
Haematococcus carocellus
Haematococcus ellipsoidalis
Haematococcus lacustris
Haematococcus privus
Haematococcus rubens
Haematococcus rubicundus
Haematococcus thermalis

Haematococcus is a genus of algae in the family Haematococcaceae. It is a freshwater alga with a nearly cosmopolitan distribution, found from every continent except Antarctica.

Members of this group are a common cause of the pink color found in birdbaths, which is caused by the carotenoid pigment astaxanthin. Because of their ability to produce astaxanthin, Haematococcus (and in particular H. lacustris) is widely used in the biotechnology industry.

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