Question

What taxonomic Class does dinoflagellates belong? Algae?

Answer 1

Dinoflagellates belong to class Dinophyceae of kingdom protista. Although earlier it was considered as algae because these are mainly marine but some fresh water forms are also present. As we know the boundries of kingdom protista is not well defined, the place of dinoflagellates has always been controversial. Half of the dinoflagellates are photoautotrophic bearing chlorophyll but half of them do not have chlorophyll and are non photosynthetic heterotrophs. The dinoflagellates are known as mesokaryotes because in its chromosome histone protein and nucleosomes are absent,also contain cell organelles such as golgi body, mitochondria etc as in eukaryotes but have coiled dna like prokaryotes. Since, dinoflagellates are single celled eukaryotes(not typical) are most appropriately considered as protistans. However, algae are primarily phototrophic and typical eukaryotes which can be unicellular or multicellular while protists are unicellular.