Diaphoretickes (/ˌdaɪəfəˈrɛtɪkiːz/) is a major group of eukaryotic creatures, with over 400,000 species. The majority of the earth's biomass that carries out photosynthesis belongs to Diaphoretickes.[1]
Diaphoretickes was identified by Burki et al. (2008) as the "plants+HC+SAR megagroup".[3]because it included plants (Archaeplastida), haptophytes, cryptomonads, and stramenopiles, alveolates, and rhizarians.
According to this description, it includes most of the species engaging in photosynthesis, except for the Euglenozoa and Cyanobacteria. It includes all Bikonts that are not excavates and Hemimastigophora.
The name "Corticata" comes from Cavalier-Smith's hypothesis about the common origin of the cortical alveoli of glaucophytes and alveolates.[5]
The megagroup was previously described as the sum of Archaeplastida, Rhizaria, and chromalveolates.[6] However, this description is obsolete, largely due to the discovery that chromalveolata is not monophyletic.