SURVEY OF FRESHWATER ALGAE FROM KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Altogether 214 species of algae belonging to 86 genera of 33 families, 15 orders, 10 classes and 6 phyla were collected from various freshwater habitats in three towns of Karachi City during May 2004 and September 2005. Among various phyla, Cyanophycota was represented by 82 species (38.32%), Volvophycota by 78 species (36.45%), Euglenophycota by 4 species (1.87%), Chrysophycota by 2 species (0.93%), Bacillarophycota by 38 species (17.76%) and Chlorophycota by 10 species (4.67%). Members of the phyla Cyanophycota and Volvophycota were most prevalent (74.8%) and those of Euglenophycota and Chrysophycota poorly represented (2.8%).