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Synchromophyceae

Synchromophyceae is a class of photosynthetic stramenopiles. The chloroplast of the Synchromophyceae are surrounded by two membranes and arranged in a way where they share the outer pair of membranes. The entire chloroplast complex is surrounded by an additional two outer membranes.

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Jul 31, 2026
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Synchromophyceae
Chlamydomyxa montana
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Clade: Sar
Clade: Stramenopiles
Division: Ochrophyta
Clade: SII
Class: Synchromophyceae
S.Horn & C.Wilhelm 20071
Orders2

Synchromophyceae is a class of photosynthetic stramenopiles. The chloroplast of the Synchromophyceae are surrounded by two membranes and arranged in a way where they share the outer pair of membranes. The entire chloroplast complex is surrounded by an additional two outer membranes.1

Evolution

Synchromophyceae is a class within the Ochrophyta that contains a few genera of amoeboid organisms, such as the mixotrophic Synchromonas and the heterotrophic Chlamydomyxa and Leucomyxa.3 It is phylogenetically close to the classes Chrysophyceae and Picophagea, within the SII clade.42

Ochrophyta
SIII

Diatoms and relatives

Taxonomy

The class Synchromophyceae was described in 2007 to include the genus Synchroma.1 Since then, other closely-related organisms have been added. As of 2024, three orders are recognized, each containing one genus, and two additional incertae sedis genera.2

  • Order Chlamydomyxales Archer 1875
    • Family Chlamydomyxaceae Engler 1897
      • Chlamydomyxa Archer 1875.
  • Order Leucomyxales D.Barcytė & M.Eliáš 2024
    • Family Leucomyxaceae D.Barcytė & M.Eliáš 2024
      • Leucomyxa D.Barcytė & M.Eliáš 20245
  • Order Synchromales R.Schnetter & Ehlers in Horn et al. 2007
    • Family Synchromaceae R.Schnetter & Ehlers in Horn et al. 2007
      • Synchroma R.Schnetter & Ehlers in Horn et al. 2007
  • Synchromophyceae incertae sedis (possibly part of Synchromales)2
    • Chrysopodocystis Billard 19786
    • Guanchochroma R.Schnetter & M.Schmidt 20157
References

References

  1. Horn, Susanne; Ehlers, Katrin; Fritzsch, Guido; Gil-Rodríguez, María Candelaria; Wilhelm, Christian; Schnetter, Reinhard (July 2007). "Synchroma grande spec. nov. (Synchromophyceae class. nov., Heterokontophyta): An Amoeboid Marine Alga with Unique Plastid Complexes". Protist. 158 (3): 277–293. doi:10.1016/j.protis.2007.02.004. ISSN 1434-4610. PMID 17567535.
  2. Terpis, Kristina X.; Salomaki, Eric D.; Barcytė, Dovilė; Pánek, Tomáš; Verbruggen, Heroen; et al. (2025). "Multiple plastid losses within photosynthetic stramenopiles revealed by comprehensive phylogenomics". Current Biology. 35 (3): 483–499.e8. doi:10.1016/j.cub.2024.11.065.
  3. Schmidt, Maria; Horn, Susanne; Flieger, Kerstin; Ehlers, Katrin; Wilhelm, Christian; Schnetter, Reinhard (2012). "Synchroma pusillum sp. nov. and other New Algal Isolates with Chloroplast Complexes Confirm the Synchromophyceae (Ochrophyta) as a Widely Distributed Group of Amoeboid Algae". Protist. 163 (4): 544–559. doi:10.1016/j.protis.2011.11.009. PMID 22578425.
  4. Dovilė Barcytė; Wenche Eikrem; Anette Engesmo; Sergio Seoane; Jens Wohlmann; Aleš Horák; Tatiana Yurchenko; Marek Eliáš (2 March 2021). "Olisthodiscus represents a new class of Ochrophyta". Journal of Phycology. 57 (4): 1094–1118. Bibcode:2021JPcgy..57.1094B. doi:10.1111/jpy.13155. hdl:10852/86515. PMID 33655496.
  5. Barcytė, Dovilė; Jaške, Karin; Pánek, Tomáš; Yurchenko, Tatiana; Ševčíková, Tereza; Eliášová, Anežka; Eliáš, Marek (2024). "A cryptic plastid and a novel mitochondrial plasmid in Leucomyxa plasmidifera gen. and sp. nov. (Ochrophyta) push the frontiers of organellar biology". Open Biology. 14 (10) 240022. doi:10.1098/rsob.240022. ISSN 2046-2441. PMC 11528492. PMID 39474867.
  6. Billard, C. (1978). "Chrysopodocystis socialis gen. et sp. nov. (Chrysophyceae), une nouvelle Rhizochrysidale marine loriquée". Bulletin de la Société Botanique de France (in French). 125 (5–6): 307–312. doi:10.1080/00378941.1978.10839455. ISSN 0037-8941.
  7. Schmidt, Maria; Horn, Susanne; Ehlers, Katrin; Wilhelm, Christian; Schnetter, Reinhard (2 July 2015). "Guanchochroma wildpretii gen. et spec. nov. (Ochrophyta) Provides New Insights into the Diversification and Evolution of the Algal Class Synchromophyceae". PLOS ONE. 10 (7) e0131821. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0131821. ISSN 1932-6203. PMC 4489749. PMID 26135124.