Spirogyra
| Spirogyra | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Spirogyra with its characteristic helically arranged chloroplasts. | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Division: | Charophyta |
| Class: | Zygnematophyceae |
| Order: | Zygnematales |
| Family: | Zygnemataceae |
| Genus: |
Spirogyra Link in C. G. Nees, 1820 |
| Type species | |
|
Spirogyra porticalis (O.F.Müller) Dumortier |
|
| Species | |
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Over 400; see text. |
|
| Synonyms | |
|
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Over 400; see text.
Spirogyra (common names include water silk, mermaid's tresses, and blanket weed) is a genus of filamentous charophyte green algae of the order Zygnematales, named for the helical or spiral arrangement of the chloroplasts that is diagnostic of the genus. It is commonly found in freshwater areas, and there are more than 400 species of Spirogyra in the world.Spirogyra measures approximately 10 to 100 μm in width and may grow to several centimeters in length.
Spirogyra is very common in relatively clean eutrophic water, developing slimy filamentous green masses. In spring Spirogyra grows under water, but when there is enough sunlight and warmth they produce large amounts of oxygen, adhering as bubbles between the tangled filaments. The filamentous masses come to the surface and become visible as slimy green mats. Mougeotia and Zygnema are often found tangled together.
Spirogyra can reproduce both sexually and asexually. In vegetative reproduction, fragmentation takes place, and Spirogyra simply undergoes the intercalary mitosis to form new filaments.
Sexual Reproduction is of two types:
The essential difference is that scalariform conjugation occurs between two filaments and lateral conjugation occurs between two adjacent cells on the same filament.
The following species are currently accepted:
American jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra took their name from the algae, which saxophone player Jay Beckenstein had written about in a college biology paper.
Spirogyra
Spirogyra
Single Spirogyra cell
Spirogyra (Each numbered tick = 122 µM)
Spirogyra (Each numbered tick = 20 µM)
Patch of Spirogyra from algal blooming in Westfalian pond
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Wikipedia