Algal factsheet: Tetraspora-like colonies (Tetrasporaceae)
Diagnostic features
Colonial chlorophyte with thousands of approx. spherical cells, mostly in groups of two or especially four, set within a mucilaginous sac. Each cell contains a green, cup-shaped, parietal chloroplast, which in turn contains a pyrenoid and a red eyespot. A pair of pseudoflagella emerge from each cell (difficult to see; needs high magnification). Attached to the streambed.Typical habitats
Most common on the beds of slow-flowing streams and riversNotes
There are other genera matching this descriptionClassification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Chlorophyta |
| Class | Chlorophyceae |
| Order | Chlamydomonadales |
| Family | Tetrasporaceae |
| Common name | Green algae |