Introduction
Kingdom: Plantae
Phylum: Chlorophyta Class: Chlorophyceae Order: Chlamydomonadales Family: Chlamydomonadaceae Genus: Chlamydomonas Species: C. reinhardtii |
C. reinhardtii, a green alga, is the most widely used labratory species of Chlamydomonas, and is a model research organism for cellular/mollecular biology[2]. Out of the two groups of green algae, C. reinhardtii belongs to the chlorophytes, the division of green algae further from land plants. Nevertheless, its chloroplasts have a very similar pigment composition and structure as plant chloroplasts[1] (but they are cup shaped), and a cell wall[2]. It has two flagella for swimming, positioned anteriorly[2], in contrast to the propeller flagella seen on sperm and opistokonts, and it has an 'eyespot' that can detect light[2]. They can live in a very diverse habitat, including soil, fresh or ocean water, and even in snow (seen as "watermelon snow")[1][2].
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Life Cycle
Chlamydomonas cells are haploid. In response to environmental stress, the algal cells themselves develop into gametes, and upon meeting a partner of the opposite mating type, fuse to form a zygote. Instead of developing into a mature sporophyte to create haploid spores, the zygote does the meiosis itself, releasing four new individuals. Chlamydomonas can also reproduce asexually, in a schematically similar way, mitosing twice to produce four offspring from one rather than from two[1, p592].
References
[1]Campbell & Reece, Biology 8th Edition
[2]http://www.chlamy.org/info.html
[2]http://www.chlamy.org/info.html