| Oedogonium has an unusual sexual life history the
is haplontic and oogamous. Cells in the female filaments
differentiate to form oogonia the bear a single egg. The male
filaments (in certain species) release androspores (ASP), specialized
zoospores that seek out the oogonium and attach. There, they
germinate to produce a dwarf male filament which produces two
sperm. These fertilize the egg, making a zygote. The zygote
germinates by producing 2-4 zoospores which develop into the respective
male and female filaments. The filaments may reproduce asexually
by producing zoospores or vegetatively by fragmentation. |