金藻（学名：Chrysophyta），群体生活，约有1500种，外观呈金黄褐色，光合色素包含叶绿素A、C、胡萝卜素、叶黄素，以昆布多糖（Laminarin，一种β1-3葡萄糖聚合物）为主要碳水化合物贮存形式，鞭毛为顶生，有1或2根鞭毛。细胞壁为含硅质的胶质复合物，大多生活于淡水。当环境变化或恶劣时，会产生囊胞来渡过该时期。在前寒武纪岩层中有发现。仅有金藻纲（Chrysophyceae）一个纲。

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The Chrysophyceae, usually called chrysophytes, chrysomonads, golden-brown algae or golden algae are a large group of algae, found mostly in freshwater. Golden algae is also commonly used to refer to a single species, Prymnesium parvum, which causes fish kills.