Cryptista
Phylum of protists
Cryptista is a phylum of alga-like eukaryotes. It is most likely related to Archaeplastida, which includes plants and many algae, within the larger group Diaphoretickes.
Characteristic features of cryptomonad mtDNAs include large syntenic clusters resembling α-proteobacterial operons that encode bacteria-like rRNAs, tRNAs, and ribosomal protein genes. Additionally, they are an evolutionarily significant lineage found in mostly marine, glacial and freshwater environments.
Although it has sometimes placed along with Haptista in the subkingdom Hacrobia, within the kingdom Chromista, most recent studies have found that Hacrobia is not a clade. For example, in 2016, a broad phylogenomic study found that cryptists fall within the group Archaeplastida, while haptophytes are closely related to the SAR supergroup.
01Morphology
The ornamental structures of the cell membrane vary among cryptists. They also have varying flagellar appendages.
02Taxonomy
Based on studies done by Cavalier-Smith et al.
- Phylum Cryptista Cavalier-Smith, 1989 emend. 2015
- Subphylum Endohelia Cavalier-Smith, 2022
- Class Endohelea Cavalier-Smith in Yabuki et al., 2012 emend. Cavalier-Smith, 2022
- Subphylum Palpitia Cavalier-Smith in Cavalier-Smith & Chao, 2012
- Class Palpitea Cavalier-Smith in Cavalier-Smith & Chao, 2012
- Subphylum Rollomonadia Cavalier-Smith, 2013
- Superclass Cryptomonada Cavalier-Smith, 2004 stat. n. 2015
- Class Cryptophyceae Fritsch in West & Fritsch, 1927
- Class Goniomonadea Cavalier-Smith, 1993
- Superclass Leucocrypta Cavalier-Smith, 2004 stat. n. 2015
- Class Leucocryptea Cavalier-Smith, 2004
- Superclass Cryptomonada Cavalier-Smith, 2004 stat. n. 2015
- Subphylum Endohelia Cavalier-Smith, 2022
03Evolution
Last common ancestor of cryptists is thought to have naked cell membrane, mitochondrion with flat cristae, bipartite hairs and no ejectisomes. It employed phagocytosis, and maybe also photosynthesis.
Phylogeny
The phylogeny is based on studies done by Cavalier-Smith, Yazaki and others.
Sources and credits
This article is adapted from the Wikipedia article “Cryptista”, written by its contributors and licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Fathomly has changed the layout, removed citation markers, navigation and maintenance notices, and adjusted punctuation. This adapted version is shared under the same license. For references, see the original article.
Images, from Wikimedia Commons:
- Rhodomonas salina CCMP 322.jpg by Daniel Vaulot, CNRS, Station Biologique de Roscoff, CC BY-SA 2.5
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