prochlorophyte
/prəʊˈklɒrəfʌɪt/ /prəʊˈklɔːrəfʌɪt/Biology
noun
A bright green cyanobacterium of the class Prochlorophyta, characterized by the presence of both chlorophyll a and b and the lack of phycobilins (and so resembling the chloroplasts of higher plants).
- Whether the prochlorophytes are taxonomically distinct from other cyanobacteria is under debate..
Origin
1970s. From pro- + chlorophyte, after scientific Latin Prochlorophyta, class name.