''Draparnaldia'' 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 ...
of freshwater
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 ...
in the family
Chaetophoraceae
Chaetophoraceae is a family (biology), family of green algae in the order Chaetophorales.
Members of the family are variously semi-terrestrial to aquatic in habitat, and consist of branched filaments in two parts, a prostrate system of filaments ...
.
It forms branched chains of cells, termed filaments, surrounded by mucilage. It is a
cosmopolitan
Cosmopolitan may refer to:
Internationalism
* World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship
* Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community
* Cosmopolitan ...
genus with wide distribution and it is usually found in cold aerated waters. They are either attached to sand or grow epiphytically on other aquatic plants. ''Draparnaldia'' can be seen growing in clear streams trailing on stones and boulders. Herman S. Forest of The Southern Appalachian Botanical Club has stated that while not common, it is present frequently enough to be recorded in almost all local flora lists of green algae that have been compiled. A multitude of species are present in
Lake Baikal
Lake Baikal is a rift lake and the deepest lake in the world. It is situated in southern Siberia, Russia between the Federal subjects of Russia, federal subjects of Irkutsk Oblast, Irkutsk Oblasts of Russia, Oblast to the northwest and the Repu ...
, Siberia and have been described by Meyer and Jasnitzky.
Morphology
''Draparnaldia'' consists of