Are diatoms algae?

Yes. Diatoms are a major group of unicellular microalgae (Bacillariophyceae) and are often described as the world’s most diverse group of algae. They are photosynthetic plankton found widely in marine and freshwater environments, and they contribute a large share of Earth’s annual carbon fixation. Their distinctive feature is a silica cell wall called a frustule.

Source: PMC / The Plant Cell (Falciatore et al., 2020)

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