Botryococcus
Botryococcus is a genus of colony-forming green algae from the class of Trebouxiophyceae.
Features
The representatives have spherical to elongated oval single cells. These are interconnected by a viscous jelly to large colonies. The individual cells have a single nucleus and a single chloroplast. This is parietal, cup-shaped and has a pyrenoid. In the cell interior yellow oil drops are usually present, which can also be delivered in the jelly. Are the oil droplets present in large quantity, they increase the buoyancy of the colony so that the colony rises to the water surface, where it can form dense films.
Asexual reproduction takes place by formation of spores car. For large colonies can simply fall apart. Sexual reproduction is not known at Botryococcus.
Occurrence
Botryococcus comes in the plankton predominantly ago by nutrient-rich waters. They are also found in temporary ponds drying up.
System
Botryococcus were assigned to different groups of the green algae in the past. Recent studies see the genus consistent as representative of the class Trebouxiophyceae. AlgaeBase species as incertae sedis represent the in this group.
The genus Botryococcus includes a few species. AlgaeBase lists 12 recognized species.
Selected representatives:
- Botryococcus braunii
Documents
- K.-H. Linne von Berg, K. Hoef -Emden, B. Marin, M. Melkonian: The Cosmos algae leader. The main freshwater algae under the microscope. Kosmos, Stuttgart 2004, pp. 170, ISBN 3-440-09719-6