Phacus

Phacus is a genus of the tribe of Euglenozoa. It was described in 1841 by Félix Dujardin.

Description

Phacus lives as a large, mostly flattened unicellular organisms with rigid, often significantly longitudinally divided cell envelope ( pellicle ). The striation occurs in the longitudinal direction of the cell. At the cell front end is a swimming scourge, a peak rut, a bottle-like invagination, the scourge reservoir with channel and one or more contractile vacuoles. A extraplastidärer eye spot is usually present. In the center lies a large cell nucleus, in the periphery, there are many lens-shaped chloroplasts without pyrenoids. Reserve material is the outside of the chloroplast -to-find Paramylon which, in contrast to the strength of the green algae, with Lugol's solution does not result in stronger action. Phacus is in contrast to other Euglenozoen incapable of metabolic movement.

Reproduction

Asexual reproduction occurs by longitudinal division starting at the cell front end, and proceeds to the cell rear end. The cells during cell division stay flagella.

Sexual reproduction is not known.

Dissemination

Phacus lives in all, even in highly nutrient-rich ( hypertrophic ) waters; in bogs, even in winter under ice cover.

Types (selection)

• Phacus longicauda
• Phacus oscillans
• Phacus pleuronectes
• Phacus pyrum
• Phacus tortus
• Phacus triqueter

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.