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Green algae: Volvox globator

Source of the photo
www.microscopy- uk.org.uk/mag/wimsmall/green.html
Author of the description
Fekete-Kertész Ildikó

Volvox globator forms spherical colonies and contains flagelli on its cell surface. 

Each little alga within the colony bears two flagella, whip-like hairs. The individual alga are connected to each other by thin strands of cytoplasm that enable the whole colony to swim in a coordinated fashion. The individual alga also have small red eye spots.

The colonies even have what we could call a front and rear end. Or, since Volvox resembles a little planet, a 'north and south pole'. In the northern region the eyespots are more developed. This helps the colony to swim towards the light. This differentiation of cells make Volvox quite unique. It is a colony that comes really close to being a multi-celled organism.

Volvox globator may reach a size of 2 millimeters so they can be easily seen with the naked eye.

Click on this link to see more pictures on microorganisms!

Source of description

http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/indexmag.html?http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/mag/artdec03/volvox.html