Question

Differentiate between red algae and brown algae.

Answer 1

Differentiation between red algae and brown algae:

Explanation:

Red Algae

• Class: Rhodophyceae
• Type: Unicellular forms
• Type of photosynthetic pigments: Phycoerythrine, phycocyanin
• Thyllakoid arrangement: Unstacked
• Type of reserve food material: Floridean starch
• Cell wall components:  

1. Cellulose
2. Pectin
3. Phycocolloids – agar, carrageenin

• Motility: Absent
• Presence of flagella: Absent  

Brown Algae

• Class: Phaeophyceae
• Type: Absence of unicellular forms
• Type of photosynthetic pigments: Fucoxanthin, carotenoids, chlorophyll a and c
• Thyllakoid arrangement: Stacked in group of 3’s
• Type of reserve food material: Laminarin, mannitol
• Cell wall components:

1. Cellulose
2. Phycocolloids - algin

• Motility: Present
• Presence of flagella: Present

Answer 2

Differences between those of red and brown algae are -

1. Red algae falls under the family named Rhodophyceae whereas the brown algae belongs to the group called Phaeophyceae.

2. Red algae has pigments like phycoerythrin and phycocyanin but the brown algae has fucoxanthin, carotenoids, chlorophyll a and c as their main pigments.

3. Red algae stores food in the form of a starch named as Floridean Starch whereas Brown algae stores food as laminarin and mannitol.