This genus consists of free-living algae which have a reticulate (net-like) chloroplast that varies slightly in morphology between species,[1][2][3] and that when mature always lacks a pyrenoid.

In turn, the prefix “dictyo” is derived from the Greek word “δίκτυο” or “díktyo” meaning “network”,[10] which is in reference to the net-like chloroplast present in this genus and Dictyochloropsis.

Dictyochloropsis was first identified as a genus in 1966 by Lothar Geitler, who defined it as a unicellular green algae with a complex chloroplast that reproduces using autospores.

[13] In the early 1980s, Elisabeth Tschermak-Woess used Geitler’s definition to classify several species of lichenized green algae under the same taxon.

[3][13] In 2014, Francesco Dal Grande used microsatellite markers to discover that Dictyochloropsis as previously defined was polyphyletic, forming two distinct clades.

[3] In 2016, Pavel Skaloud et al. moved the Dictyochloropsis lichenized species to the genus Symbiochloris based on data from phylogenetic analysis of the 18S rRNA gene.

Although species in the phylum Chlorophyta mainly live in freshwater habitats,[15] Dictyochloropsis is usually found in terrestrial environments.

[15] Species have been found and cultured from places all over the world, including the Czech Republic, Malaysia,[1] Austria, Germany, Japan,[3] Pakistan,[4] Ukraine[5] and Indonesia.

[3]  Chloroplast morphology can vary between members of Dictyochloropsis at the same life cycle stage, and is often used to identify specific species within this genus.

Lastly, the chloroplast’s lobes fuse into a single, more compact, granular structure surrounding the nucleus and divides into two parts.

[1] Culturing algae is one of the most promising fields for generating biofuels, due to their rapid growth rate and minimal nutrition requirements.

[4] When cultured under optimal conditions (20-30 °C in BG11 growth medium), Dictyochloropsis produces 21.8% biodiesel per gram of biomass, 175 μmol biohydrogen (mg chl a h−1)−1), and 0.236 g L−1 h−1 bioethanol.