Hyalochlorella

Hyalochlorella marina, the only species in the genus Hyalochlorella and also known as Dermocystidium sp., is a marine heterotrophic eukaryote with uncertain phylogenic position.

Phylogeny
Hyalochlorella marina was first classified as a fungus under the name Dermocystidium sp. Based morphology and development, it has been classified as a Chlorophyta related to Chlorella but different from the parasite microalgae Prototheca. It also shows similarities to more recently described Ichthyosporea Sphaeroforma species, in particular Sphaeroforma tapetis (previously known as Pseudoperkinsus tapetis).

Ecology
It is an epiphyte of marine seaweeds but has also been isolated from seawater. Hyalochlorella is found on several shores of east and west coast of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and off the Faroe Islands.