Introduction

Abstract

Chrysophycean algae (classes Chrysophyceae and Synurophyceae; hereafter referred to as “chrysophytes”) are a diverse group of primarily freshwater algae, with well over 1000 known species. They often form a dominant phytoplankton group in temperate (Roijackers, 1986; Siver & Chock, 1986), high latitude (Moore, 1979, 1981; Wallen & Allen, 1982; Eloranta, 1986) and high altitude lakes (Rott, 1988), but are also found in tropical and sub-tropical regions (Cronberg, 1989a). Chrysophytes are typically euplanktonic (Sandgren, 1988), but several epiphytic (Hilliard & Asmund, 1963) and benthic (Dop, 1980) species exist. Although less common in inland saline lakes, some taxa persist in these environments (Pienitz et al. 1992; Cumming et al. 1993). They are considered rare in marine systems (Gayral & Billard, 1986), but new nano- and picoplanktonic forms continued to be described (Peters & Andersen, 1993).

“Chrysophytes are a most intriguing group of freshwater algae...”

Sandgren (1988)