Members of the phylum Dinoflagellata. Zooxanthellae are single-celled plants that live in the tissues of animals. They are dinoflagellates, a group of microscopic plants which are usually found swimming and floating in the sea. Zooxanthellae are single-celled plants that live in the tissues of animals. They are dinoflagellates, a group of microscopic plants which are usually found swimming and floating in the sea.
Zooxanthellae are single-celled plants that live in the tissues of animals. They are dinoflagellates, a group of microscopic plants which are usually found swimming and floating in the sea. Organisms which live like this are called plankton, and those that are plants are called phytoplankton. Here are some photos of zooxanthellae living in nudibranchs. To see all the parts of the zooxanthellae, we have to cut it into very thin slices, and then photograph each slice. Because of this, not all these photos show all the different parts of the cell. Description and Significance. Zooxanthellae species are members of the phylum Dinoflagellata. However, this is not a taxonomic name. Instead, it refers to a variety of species that form symbiotic relationships with other marine organisms, particularly coral. The most common genus is Symbiodinium. Not all Zooxanthellae are endosymbionts; some are free-living. Symbiodinium are colloquially called  zooxanthellae  (or  zoox ), and animals symbiotic with algae in this genus are said to be zooxanthellate. The term was loosely used to refer to any golden-brown endosymbionts, including diatoms and other dinoflagellates.  Just as in their free-living relatives, zooxanthellae need to live in the sunlight, so they are usually found in those parts of animals, such as the skin, which are in the sunlight. Because they are so small we can only study their structure with the help of an electron microscope. Here are some photos of zooxanthellae living in nudibranchs. To see all the parts of the zooxanthellae, we have to cut it into very thin slices, and then photograph each slice. Because of this, not all these photos show all the different parts of the cell. Posted on December 14, 2012May 19, 2015 by algone. Zooxanthellae are the symbiotic algae that live within the hard or stony corals. The symbiotic relation is based on the corals inability to generate sufficient amounts of food and the algae’s ability for photosynthesis and converting chemical elements into energy. Corals are completely dependent on the symbiotic algae. They would not be able to survive without them since they can’t produce sufficient amounts of food. The zooxanthellae can provide all the nutrients necessary, in most cases all the carbon needed for the coral to build the calcium carbonate skeleton. Tiny plant cells called zooxanthellae live within most types of coral polyps. They provide the coral with foods resulting from photosynthesis. Click the image for a larger view of these cells. Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen and help the coral to remove wastes. If the polyps go for too long without zooxanthellae, coral bleaching can result in the coral's death. Because of their intimate relationship with zooxanthellae, reef-building corals respond to the environment like plants. Coral polyps, which are animals, and zooxanthellae, the plant cells that live within them, have a mutualistic relationship. Click the image to see an animation. In addition to providing corals with essential nutrients, zooxanthellae are responsible for the unique and beautiful colors of many stony corals. If the polyps go for too long without zooxanthellae, coral bleaching can result in the coral's death. Because of their intimate relationship with zooxanthellae, reef-building corals respond to the environment like plants. Zooxanthellae...What's That. Most reef-building corals contain photosynthetic algae, called zooxanthellae, that live in their tissues. The corals and algae have a mutualistic relationship. The coral provides the algae with a protected environment and compounds they need for photosynthesis. In return, the algae produce oxygen and help the coral to remove wastes. Most importantly, zooxanthellae supply the coral with glucose, glycerol, Zooxanthellae and Coral Bleaching. Tiny plant-like organisms called zooxanthellae live in the tissues of many animals, including some corals, anemones, and jellyfish, sponges, flatworms, mollusks and foraminifera. These microscopic algae capture sunlight and convert it into energy, just like plants, to provide essential nutrients to the corals. 
http://seaslugforum.net/find/zoox1 http://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Zooxanthellae https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiodinium http://seaslugforum.net/find/zoox1 http://www.algone.com/zooxanthellae-and-corals http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/tutorial_corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html http://ocean.si.edu/slideshow/zooxanthellae-and-coral-bleaching
what are zooxanthellae