Written by Merel Dagher (PEACE Advisor)
Which of the following belong to the kingdom Chromalveolata? Select all that apply.
a. Dinoflagellates
b. Oomycetes
c. Ciliates
d. Diatoms
e. Brown Algae
a. Dinoflagellates
b. Oomycetes
c. Ciliates
d. Diatoms
e. Brown Algae
f. All of the above.
The correct answer is F. All of the following belong to the Chromalveolata kingdom. Dinoflagellates (responsible for the “red tide” phenomenon; also have a symbiotic relationship with coral reefs) are alveolates, as are Ciliates (which are flagellated and form vacuoles for ingesting food/regulating water). Apicomplexans are also alveolates and the famous Toxoplasma gondii (which has the unique feature of needing cats for reproduction) is found in this phylum. Oomycetes (responsible for sudden oak death) and diatoms (made up of silica shell that withstands great pressure) also belong to the kingdom and are both stramenopiles. Brown algae are also stramenopiles and have gel-forming polysaccharides in their cell walls – they are edible (found in meso soup and wakame).