Pigment suites and taxonomic groups in Prasinophyceae

Pigment analysis performed on 30 Prasinophyceae strains revealed two main groups: the prasinoxanthin-containing and prasinoxanthin-less Prasinophyceae. Prasinoxanthin-containing Prasinophyceae comprised the orders Mamiellales, Pseudoscourfieldiales (Pycnococcaceae), and Prasinococcales. For this group, classification with pigment composition showed a good agreement with molecular phylogeny. Mamiellales, except Crustomastix stigmatica, accumulated uriolide, micromonal, dihydrolutein, and the pigment Unidentified M1 as characteristic pigments. Prasinococcales and Pseudoscourfieldiales (Pycnococcaceae) lacked micromonal and Unidentified M1. In addition, Pseudoscourfieldiales (Pycnococcaceae) lacked uriolide. A chl c(3)-like pigment was present in prasinoxanthin-containing strains isolated from the deep sea. Common green algae pigments, a loroxanthin derivative, and siphonaxanthin plus derivatives were found in the prasinoxanthin-less Prasinophyceae, which included strains from Pyramimonadales, Pseudoscourfieldiales (Nephroselmidiaceae), Chlorodendrales, and a new order. Although some associations could be observed, the correspondence between pigments and molecular taxonomy was less clear for this group.