Phycobilin
/ˌfaɪkoʊˈbaɪlɪn/noun
Any of a group of water-soluble pigments found mainly in cyanobacteria and red algae that capture light for photosynthesis.
Did you know?Phycobilins absorb wavelengths of light that chlorophyll captures poorly, allowing red algae and cyanobacteria to photosynthesize in dim underwater environments.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
phŷkos
“Seaweed or marine algae”
Classical Latin
Latin
bilis
“Bile, the bitter yellow-green digestive fluid”
19th Century
German/English
bilin
“A chemical term for a bile-related pigment or pigment component”
Early 20th Century
Scientific English
phyco-
“A combining form referring to algae, derived from Greek phŷkos”
20th Century
Scientific English
phycobilin
“An algal pigment chemically named from phyco- plus bilin”
Modern English
English
phycobilin
“A water-soluble light-harvesting pigment found especially in cyanobacteria and red algae”
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