Haematococcus microalga named 'KAS1601-WG7'

A novel variety of the microalga Haematococcus pluvialis (syn. H. lacustris), named 'KAS1601-WG7' is primarily characterized by a yellow and motile cell body during propagation transitioning to a red and motile cell body under pigment accumulation conditions. The cells contain negligible chlorophyll. It has fast growth under heterotrophic cultivation for ease of propagation and shows high carotenogenesis under dark heterotrophic cultivation. The highly pigmented non-encysted cells are attractive for ease of extraction and for high digestibility, including as whole cells, to release a mixture of oils, proteins, pigments, and other components desirable for use in food, feeds, cosmetics and dietary supplements, and excellent storage as biomass.