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Name derivation:
“Red monad” Although still recognized by some phycologists/protistologists, others including Santore (1984) based on ultrastructural similarity to Cryptomonas and the apparent ability to undergo chromatic adaptation by changing the relative abundance of the phycobilins, one might consider Rhodomonas to be a synonym of Cryptomonas.
Classification:
Rhodomonas Karsten 1898; 14 of 27 species descriptions are currently accepted taxonomically (Guiry and Guiry 2013). Class Cryptophyceae; Order Pyrenomonadales
Morphology:
Biflagellate unicells with a short furrow that transforms posteriorly into a tubular gullet lined with two to four (or more) rows of ejectisomes. One chloroplast and pyrenoid. Color is determined by the concentration of phycoerithrin (red phycobolin) and varies from red-brown to yellow and even green in older cells (Guiry and Guiry 2013).
Similar genera:
Habitat:
Freshwater plankton.
References:
Guiry, M.D. and G.M. Guiry 2013. AlgaeBase. World-wide electronic publication, National University of Ireland, Galway. http://www.algaebase.org; searched on 30 April 2013. Karsten, G. (1898). Rhodomonas baltica, n.g. et sp.Wiss. Meeresunters. N.F. Abt. Kiel 3: 15-16. Santore, U.J. 1984. Some aspects of taxonomy in the Cryptophyceae. New Phytool. 98:627–646.