Drawings ofChlamydomonas caudata Wille.[1]Cross section of aChlamydomonas reinhardtii cellLight micrograph ofChlamydomonas with two flagella just visible at bottom leftChlamydomonas globosa, again with two flagella just visible at bottom left
Molecular phylogeny studies indicated that the traditional genusChlamydomonas as defined using morphological data, waspolyphyletic withinVolvocales. Many species were subsequently reclassified (e.g.,Oogamochlamys,Lobochlamys), and many other "Chlamydomonas" s.l. lineages are still to be reclassified.[5][6][7]
The nameChlamydomonas comes from the Greek rootschlamys, meaning cloak or mantle, andmonas, meaning solitary, now used conventionally for unicellular flagellates.[8]
AllChlamydomonas are motile, unicellular organisms. Cells are generally spherical to cylindrical in shape, but may be elongately spindle-shaped,[9] and a papilla may be present or absent. Chloroplasts are green and usually cup-shaped.[10] A key feature of the genus is its two anterior flagella, each as long as the other.[8] The flagellarmicrotubules may each be disassembled by the cell to provide spare material to rebuild the other's microtubules if they are damaged.[11]
Cell wall is made up of a glycoprotein and non-cellulosic polysaccharides instead of cellulose.
Two anteriorly inserted whiplash flagella. Each flagellum originates from a basal granule in the anteriorpapillate or non-papillate region of the cytoplasm. Each flagellum shows a typical 9+2 arrangement of the component fibrils.
Contractile vacuoles are near the bases of flagella.
Prominent cup or bowl-shaped chloroplast is present. The chloroplast contains bands composed of a variable number of the photosynthetic thylakoids which are not organised into grana-like structures.
The nucleus is enclosed in a cup-shaped chloroplast, which has a single largepyrenoid where starch is formed from photosynthetic products. Pyrenoid with starch sheath is present in the posterior end of the chloroplast.
Eye spot present in the anterior portion of the chloroplast. It consists of two or three, more or less parallel rows of linearly arranged fat droplets.
Chlamydomonas is widely distributed in freshwater or damp soil.[2] It is generally found in a habitat rich in ammonium salt. It possesses red eye spots for photosensitivity and reproduces both asexually and sexually.
Most species are obligatephototrophs butC. reinhardtii andC. dysostosis are facultative heterotrophs that can grow in the dark in the presence of acetate as a carbon source.
^Proschold, T.; Marin, B.; Schlösser, U. G.; Melkonian, M. (2001). "Molecular phylogeny and taxonomic revision of (Chlorophyta). I. Emendation ofChlamydomonas Ehrenberg andChloromonas Gobi, and Description ofOogamochlamys gen. nov. andLobochlamys gen. nov".Protist.152 (4):265–300.doi:10.1078/1434-4610-00068.PMID11822658.
^abMac Cárthaigh, Críostóir; Whelan, Kevin; Graham, John Rollisson; Synnott, Donal M.; Royal Irish Academy, eds. (1999).New survey of Clare Island. Dublin: Royal Irish Academy.ISBN978-1-874045-71-7.
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