- Water net
Taxobox
name = Water net
regnum =Plant ae
divisio =Chlorophyta
classis =Chlorophyceae
ordo =Chlorococcales
familia =Hydrodictyaceae
genus = "Hydrodictyon"
subdivision_ranks =Species
subdivision =
*"Hydrodictyon africanum "
*"Hydrodictyon indicum "
*"Hydrodictyon patenaeforme "
*"Hydrodictyon reticulatum "The water net (
genus "Hydrodictyon") is a taxon ofgreen algae of thefamily Hydrodictyaceae . Its name "water net" comes from its shape, which looks like a netlike hollow sack. It can grow up to several decimetres. "Hydrodictyon" like clean,eutrophic water and has become a pest inNew Zealand , where it has been recently introduced. The Water Net gets its name from the large (usuallypentagon al orhexagon al) mesh that they form.Reproduction
Algae in the genus can reproduce asexually or sexually. Asexual reproduction takes place by biflagellated (having two
flagella )zoospore s formed by the thousands inside a cell. However, the zoospores hardly move, as they are packed very densely. The zoospores form a cell wall, become cylindrical in shape, and arrange themselves in a hexagonal pattern, much like the mature tissue. The mother cell desintegrates, releasing the daughter net, which is so small you need amicroscope to see it.During sexual reproduction, which takes place by iso-
gamete s (gametes of the same size) even smaller than the zoospores, the iso-gametes escape through a hole in the cell wall of the mother cell. Two gametes then fuse, forming azygote , which then develops a thick cell wall and becomes angular in shape. After a rest period, 2-5 zoospores, which are bigger than the ones formed by asexual reproduction, are produced. The zoospores then enlarge into polygonal cells. Thecytoplasm of the cells then divide into new zoospores which lose their flagella and form a new net by lying against each other.External links
* [http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Images/Chlorophyta/Hydrodictyon/ Hydrodictyon on the Protis Information Server]
* [http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec98/net2.html Water Net]
* [http://www.mic-d.com/gallery/brightfield/hydrodictyon.html Microscopic view]
* [http://www.hear.org/gcw/html/autogend/species/9860.HTM Entry in the Global Compendium of Weeds]
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