Blood rain algae

Blood rain algae
	Haematococcus pluvialis cysts ; (light microscope image, differential interference contrast )
Systematics
without rank:	Chlorophyta
without rank:	Chlorophyceae
Order :	Chlamydomonadales (Volvocales)
Family :	Haematococcaceae
Genre :	Haematococcus
Type :	Blood rain algae
Scientific name
	Haematococcus pluvialis
	Flot. emend. will

The blood rain alga ( Haematococcus pluvialis ) is a green alga from the class of Chlorophyceae . This maximally 0.05 mm (8–50 µm) small, single-celled freshwater alga is surrounded by a gelatinous layer and has a cup-shaped chloroplast , two body-length flagella and an eye spot . Under poor living conditions, it can become permanent and form a cyst that has a characteristic reddish color due to carotenoids (including astaxanthin ). Astaxanthin is formed to protect against UV radiation and also when there is a lack of nutrients.

The biotopes it inhabits , such as ponds, small waterholes and holy water basins , can give the alga a spectacular blood-red color during mass development. This phenomenon is also known as "rain of blood". Astaxanthin is also responsible for the coloring of the blood snow by the alga Chlamydomonas nivalis . Snow colored red by the astaxanthin of this alga is common in mountains.

The blood rain algae is one of the most important natural sources for the industrial production of astaxanthin. The outdated name Haematochrom (or English Haematochrome) is sometimes used for the dye astaxanthin .

literature

D. v. Denffer, F. Ehrendorfer, K. Mägdefrau, H. Ziegler: Strasburger, textbook of botany. 31st edition 1978
Erich Heinz Benedix: Urania plant kingdom. Viruses, bacteria, algae, fungi 1st edition. Urania Publishing House. Leipzig, Jena, 1991. ISBN 3-332-00348-8

Web links

Commons : Haematococcus pluvialis - collection of images, videos and audio files

More information with picture
Genus Haematococcus at Algaebase

Individual evidence

↑ Heinz Streble , Dieter Krauter : Life in the water drop. Microflora and microfauna of freshwater. An identification book. 12th edition. Kosmos, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-440-12634-9 , pp. 162-163.
^ Franz-Christian Czygan : Blutregen und Blutschnee: Nitrogen deficiency cells from Haematococcus pluvialis and Chlamydomonas nivalis In: Archives of Microbiology Volume 74, Number 1, March 1970
↑ Martin Guerin, Mark E. Huntley and Miguel Olaizola: Haematococcus astaxanthin: Applications for human health and nutrition. In: Trends in Biotechnology 21 (5) May 2003

[1] Heinz Streble , Dieter Krauter : Life in the water drop. Microflora and microfauna of freshwater. An identification book. 12th edition. Kosmos, Stuttgart 2010, ISBN 978-3-440-12634-9 , pp. 162-163.

[2] Franz-Christian Czygan : Blutregen und Blutschnee: Nitrogen deficiency cells from Haematococcus pluvialis and Chlamydomonas nivalis In: Archives of Microbiology Volume 74, Number 1, March 1970

[3] Martin Guerin, Mark E. Huntley and Miguel Olaizola: Haematococcus astaxanthin: Applications for human health and nutrition. In: Trends in Biotechnology 21 (5) May 2003