Phaeophyta (Noun)
Meaning
Coextensive with class Phaeophyceae; in some classifications subsumed in the division Heterokontophyta.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- Phaeophyta is a division of brown algae, including kelps and wracks, which are characterized by the presence of fucoxanthin as the main accessory pigment.
- The phaeophyta division consists of around 200 species, most of which are marine, with a few freshwater representatives.
- Some classifications place phaeophyta as a subphylum within the division Heterokontophyta, highlighting the close relationships between the two groups.
- The term phaeophyta is often used interchangeably with phaeophyceae, as both refer to the same group of brown algae.
- In contrast to other algal groups, phaeophyta are characterized by the presence of both motile and non-motile cells, with some species having a complex life cycle.