Dunaliellaceae

Dunaliellaceae is a family of algae in the order Chlamydomonadales. It is widespread in freshwater and saline environments worldwide, less so in marine waters.

Members of the family Dunaliellaceae are single-celled, flagellate algae. They are of various shapes (most commonly spheroidal, less commonly flattened), without sharp edges, ribs or processes. The periplast lacks cell walls or other coverings, such as scales, and are thus flexible to varying degrees. Two or four flagella are present. The chloroplast is variable in shape, and a both a pyrenoid and stigma may be present or absent; some taxa are colorless and lack chloroplasts (or at least they are reduced to leucoplasts). Reproduction occurs by cell division, which begins at the apex of the cell.