Green Algae: Phylum Chlorophyta Green algae belong to phylum (or “division”) Chlorophyta Most green algae live in freshwater and terrestrial environments; only ~10% of the estimated 7,000 species are marine Nonetheless, many species of green algae dominate bays and estuaries and isolated tidal pools on rocky coasts
Green Algae: Phylum Chlorophyta Chlorophyll in both green algae and plants are not normally masked by other pigments Land plants are believed to have evolved from green algae; considered by many taxonomists as belonging to Kingdom Plantae!
Common Long Island Chlorophytes Codium fragile (“Dead Man’s Fingers”) Ulva lactuca (“Sea lettuce”) Enteromorpha sp. (“Gutweed”)