Trisha Shetty (Editor)

Oedogonium

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Kingdom
  
Plantae

Scientific name
  
Oedogonium

Order
  
Oedogoniales

Division
  
Chlorophyta

Higher classification
  
Oedogoniaceae

Rank
  
Genus

Oedogonium algalwebnetoed45bjpg

Similar
  
Green algae, Ulothrix, Water silk, Oedogoniales, Water net

Oedogonium is a genus of filamentous green algae, with unbranched filaments that are one cell thick. Oedogonium can be free-floating, though it is usually attached to aquatic plants by a holdfast. It appears greenish and inhabits calm, fresh water.

Contents

Oedogonium Protist Images Oedogonium

Asexual reproduction

Oedogonium Protist Images Oedogonium

Oedogonium can reproduce asexually by fragmentation of the filaments, through some other types of non-motile spores, and also through zoospores, which have many flagella. These develop in a zoosporangium cell, one zoospore per zoosporangium. After settling and losing its flagella, a zoospore grows into a filament.

Sexual reproduction

Oedogonium Images of Oedogonium

The life cycle of Oedogonium is haplontic, i.e., meiosis is zygotic. Antheridia which produce sperm, and oogonia which produce an egg, release the sperm and egg. The egg and sperm then fuse and form a zygote which is diploid (2n). The zygote then produces the filamentous green alga which is haploid (1n).

Species

Oedogonium Protist Images Oedogonium

Species of Oedogonium are divided into two major groups on the basis of the distribution of the sex organs:

Oedogonium Quick Notes on Oedogoniales With Diagrams Algae

  • Macrandous Species – In these species, antheridia are borne on filaments of normal size. This group is further subdivided into:
  • Macrandous Monoecious – In these species, antheridia and oogonia are found on the same filament. E.g.: O. nodulosum and O. fragile
  • Macrandous Dioecious – In these species, antheridia and oogonia are borne on different filaments. Although filaments bearing antheridia and oogonia are morphologically similar, they differ physiologically. E.g.: O. crassum and O. aquaticum
  • Nannandrous Species – In nannandrous species, filaments bearing antheridia and oogonia show morphological distinction. The male filament, which are much smaller than the female filament, is called a dwarf male or nannandrium. Nannandrous species are always dioecious, i.e., antheridia and oogonia are borne on different filaments. The small male filaments are likely to be attached to a female filament, near an oogonium.

    • Oedogonium Oedogonium Occurrence Features and Reproduction

    References

    Oedogonium Wikipedia
    (Text) CC BY-SA