Observations On The Ultrastructure Of The Naked Freshwater Flagellate Chrysochromulina tobin sp. nov. (Haptophyta)

Haptophytes are nano-planktonic unicells whose small size belies their contribution of 30-50% of the total photosynthetic stock in the world's ocean [1]. In addition to their major role in contributing to the Earth's carbon cycle [1], blooms of these algae can produce noxious odors that compromise water quality and can generate toxins responsible for fish and animal mortality [2]. Because the fatty acids stored by these phytoplankton taxon represent a source of oil, commercial interest in identifying and characterizing Haptophytes that produce large amounts of potential biofuel and high value pharmaceutical products has significantly increased [3].In this report, we present ultra-structural details of a naked freshwater member of the genus Chrysochromulina, most of whose members are characterized by the presence of one or more layers of organic scales covering their surface [4].