Carteria

Carteria obtusa

Carteria is a genus of unicellular green algae from the class of Chlorophyceae. Some representatives grow on snow.

Features

The representatives are unicellular algae with four flagella. The cells are inaudible or barely flattened in side view they are spherical, ovoid or elliptical. The cells are 8 to 40 micrometers long. They have a cell wall, flagella (not all types ) sitting at an apical papilla. The single chloroplast has various forms: it is cup-shaped, depending on the type, H -shaped, or if a page. It can also be perforated. The chloroplast mostly wearing an eye patch and one to several pyrenoids. In the cytoplasm there are two or four contractile vacuoles.

Asexual reproduction occurs by the formation of 2-8 zoospores. Sexual reproduction takes place by isogamy, Anisogamie or oogamy.

Occurrence

Carteria occurs in the freshwater plankton of all types of water, on earth and snow.

System

The genus comprises Carteria by AlgaeBase 24 recognized species.

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, p 50, ISBN 3-440-09719-6