''Atractomorpha'' is a
genus
Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...
in the
Sphaeropleaceae
Sphaeropleaceae is a family of green algae in the order Sphaeropleales.
The Sphaeropleaceae consists of solitary cells or filaments of cells. They are coenocytic, and reproduce asexually via zoospores or sexually via anisogamy or oogamy.
The ...
, a family of
green algae
The green algae (: green alga) are a group of chlorophyll-containing autotrophic eukaryotes consisting of the phylum Prasinodermophyta and its unnamed sister group that contains the Chlorophyta and Charophyta/ Streptophyta. The land plants ...
.
The genus name is derived from Greek and means "spindle-shaped" or "arrow-shaped",
and refers to the shape of the cells.
Description
''Atractomorpha'' consists of solitary cells. Cells are variable in size, but range from 25 μm to 6 mm in length. They are usually spindle-shaped, with two sharply pointed ends, but sometimes may develop three- or four-pointed cells. Cells are initially uninucleate (with one cell nucleus), but as the cell develops it becomes multinucleate; the cytoplasm is separated by large vacuoles into zones each containing
chloroplast
A chloroplast () is a type of membrane-bound organelle, organelle known as a plastid that conducts photosynthesis mostly in plant cell, plant and algae, algal cells. Chloroplasts have a high concentration of chlorophyll pigments which captur ...
s and nuclei. Chloroplasts are ring-shaped bands or diffusely net-like.
[
Reproduction in ''Atractomorpha'' occurs asexually or sexually. In asexual reproduction, ]zoospore
A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion in aqueous or moist environments. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some protists, bacteria, and fungi to propagate themselves. Certain zoospores are ...
s develop from vegetative cells, or less commonly