Cladophora

Cladophora ruprestis

Cladophora is a genus of algae from the class of Siphonocladophyceae. It was described in 1843 by Friedrich Traugott Kützing.

Description

Cladophora forms large, often several decimeters long, branched, most of the solid substrate adhered growing rare freely floating threads ( diameter of 10 to 200 microns ) with large cells containing many nuclei. In the periphery, a tall, cylindrical, reticulate chloroplast with several pyrenoids located. Growth is carried out by dividing a peak cell intercalary growth is also possible. Detached algae tufts may be fist-sized lakes, grow spherical, free-roaming driving balls.

Reproduction

Asexual reproduction occurs by the formation of zoospores in viergeißeligen thread - end cells.

Sexual reproduction is accomplished by the merger of equal-sized gametes zweigeißeliger ( isogamy ). The alga has an isomorphic alternation of generations; asexual, spore -forming generation ( sporophyte ) alternates regularly with an identical design, gamete -producing generation ( gametophyte ). This development cycle, however, was observed only in marine species of the genus.

Dissemination

Cladophora lives on solid substrates in stationary and flowing water. The genus is highly dominant in meso- and eutrophic streams and rivers in the summer. Oligotrophic waters are shunned. The alga winters with short pieces of thread directly on the pad.

Types (selection)

• Cladophora aegagropila
• Cladophora aegagropiloidea
• Cladophora fracta
• Cladophora glomerata
• Cladophora rivularis
• Cladophora oligoclona

Swell

• Karl -Heinz Linne von Berg, Kerstin Hoef -Emden, Birger Marin, Michael Melkonian: The Cosmos algae leader. The main freshwater algae under the microscope. Franckh Cosmos, 2006, ISBN 3-440-09719-6.