Spirogyra is a green, multicellular, filamentous alga having unbranched filamentous thallus. Cylindrical cells of the thallus are joined end to end with each other.
Common names:
- Water silk
- Mermaid’s tresses
- Blanket weed
Classification
| Domain | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom | Plantae |
| Division/Phylum | Chlorophyta |
| Class | Zygnematophyceae |
| Order | Zygnematales |
| Family | Zygnemataceae |
| Genus | Spirogyra |
Habitat
Spirogyra is commonly found as green-slimy patches on the ground in banks of stagnant freshwater bodies like lakes and ponds having more than 500 species discovered till now.
Morphology & anatomy
Each filament consists of a row of cylindrical cells that are identical in structure. The filament is enclosed in a mucilaginous sheath.
The cell wall is made up of cellulose and pectin. There is no differentiation in the base or the apex of the filament. Each cell has one or two prominent ribbon-like chloroplasts spirally or helically arranged.
In the chloroplast, a large body named pyrenoid body (contains protein besides starch) is present. The cell has a single nucleus which lies in the center of the large cell vacuole and is held in its place by cytoplasmic strands.
Reproduction
There is no asexual reproduction in Spirogyra. However, it may reproduce vegetatively by fragmentation when the filament breaks into two or more parts and each one of them grows dividing mitotically.
Sexual reproduction in Spirogyra is very common. Thallus of Spirogyra is haploid (n). In Spirogyra gametes are non-flagellated (non-motile) and similar in size (isogamy). Conjugation may take place between different filaments or between the two cells of the same filament.
The conjugation is dived into two forms, the first one is known as scalari form or ladder-like conjugation, and the latter is known as lateral conjugation.
Scalariform conjugation
Two filaments come in contact in a parallel direction. A protuberance which is a tubular outgrowth called the conjugation tube is formed from the corresponding cells.
The wall between the two tubes gets dissolved. The protoplasmic contents of the cells of one filament lose water and become rounded and are known as gametes.
All gametes of one filament behave as males (+) and they flow to the corresponding cell through the conjugation tube where they fuse with the recipient gamete and form a thick-walled zygospore which soon turns black.
Lateral conjugation
On one side of the partition wall in between two cells of the same filament a conjugation tube develops. The rest of the protoplasm loses water and forms gametes.
The gametes of alternating cells flow to the next cell and produce zygospores. Each zygospore is globular and remains dormant for some time.
The diploid nucleus of the zygospore undergoes meiosis and results in the formation of your haploid nuclei. Out of the three degenerate and only one survives.
On germination the thick wall of the zygospore bursts. The internal contents grow to form a short filament. By mitotic division, it enlarges and gives rise to a fully developed filament.
In this alga, mitotic division takes place before germination. So haploid filamentous stage of alga is dominating.
Species
Spirogyra is categorized on the basis of thallus namely they are:
- Homothallic species
- Heterothallic species
Homothallic species
Species of Spirogyra which have not sexually different types of filaments or have male and female reproductive structures on the same thallus.
Heterothallic species
Species that have sexually different types of filaments in which the opposite sexual functions are performed by different cells of a single filament. It can be contrasted to heterothallic.
Members
- Spirogyra abbreviata
- Spirogyra acanthophora
- Spirogyra acumbentis
- Spirogyra adjerensis Gauthier
- Spirogyra adnata
- Spirogyra adornata
- Spirogyra aequinoctialis
- Spirogyra affinis
- Spirogyra africana
- Spirogyra ahmedabadensis
- Spirogyra alpina
- Spirogyra alternata
- Spirogyra amplectens
- Spirogyra ampliata
- Spirogyra anchora
- Spirogyra angolensis
- Spirogyra angulata
- Spirogyra anomala
- Spirogyra anzygoapora
- Spirogyra aphanosculpta
- Spirogyra aplanospora
- Spirogyra arcta
- Spirogyra arcuata
- Spirogyra areolata
- Spirogyra arizonensis
- Spirogyra arthuri
- Spirogyra articulata
- Spirogyra asiatica
- Spirogyra atasiana
- Spirogyra atrobrunnea
- Spirogyra aubvillei
- Spirogyra australica
- Spirogyra australiensis
- Spirogyra austriaca
- Spirogyra azygospora
- Spirogyra baileyi
- Spirogyra batekiana
- Spirogyra bellis
- Spirogyra bicalyptrata
- Spirogyra bichromatophora
- Spirogyra biformis
- Spirogyra biharensis
- Spirogyra bii
- Spirogyra bireticulata
- Spirogyra borealis
- Spirogyra borgeana
- Spirogyra borgei
- Spirogyra borkuense
- Spirogyra borysthenica
- Spirogyra bourrellyana
- Spirogyra braziliensis
- Spirogyra britannica
- Spirogyra brunnea
- Spirogyra buchetii
- Spirogyra bullata
- Spirogyra calcarea
- Spirogyra calchaquiesiae
- Spirogyra californica
- Spirogyra calospora
- Spirogyra canaliculata
- Spirogyra cardinia
- Spirogyra caroliniana
- Spirogyra castanacea
- Spirogyra cataeniformis
- Spirogyra catenaeformis
- Spirogyra cavata
- Spirogyra chakiaensis
- Spirogyra chandigarhensis
- Spirogyra chekiangensis
- Spirogyra chenii
- Spirogyra chungkingensis
- Spirogyra chuniae
- Spirogyra circumlineata
- Spirogyra clavata
- Spirogyra cleveana
- Spirogyra colligata
- Spirogyra columbiana
- Spirogyra communis
- Spirogyra condensata
- Spirogyra congolensis
- Spirogyra conspicua
- Spirogyra convoluta
- Spirogyra corrugata
- Spirogyra costata
- Spirogyra costulata
- Spirogyra coumbiana
- Spirogyra crassa
- Spirogyra crassispina
- Spirogyra crassiuscula
- Spirogyra crassivallicularis
- Spirogyra crassoidea
- Spirogyra crenulata
- Spirogyra croasdaleae
- Spirogyra cyanosporum
- Spirogyra cylindrica
- Spirogyra cylindrosperma
- Spirogyra cylindrospora
- Spirogyra czubinskii
- Spirogyra czurdae
- Spirogyra czurdiana
- Spirogyra dacimina
- Spirogyra daedalea
- Spirogyra daedaleoides
- Spirogyra danica
- Spirogyra decimina
- Spirogyra densa
- Spirogyra denticulata
- Spirogyra dentireticulata
- Spirogyra desikacharyensis
- Spirogyra dialyderma
- Spirogyra dicephala
- Spirogyra dictyospora
- Spirogyra diluta
- Spirogyra dimorpha
- Spirogyra discoidea
- Spirogyra distenta
- Spirogyra diversizygotica
- Spirogyra djalonensis Gauthier
- Spirogyra djiliense Gauthier
- Spirogyra dodgeana
- Spirogyra drilonensis
- Spirogyra dubia
- Spirogyra echinata
- Spirogyra echinospora
- Spirogyra eillipsospora
- Spirogyra elegans
- Spirogyra elegantissima
- Spirogyra ellipsospora
- Spirogyra elliptica
- Spirogyra elongata
- Spirogyra elongata
- Spirogyra emilianensis
- Spirogyra endogranulata
- Spirogyra exilis
- Spirogyra fallax
- Spirogyra fassula
- Spirogyra favosa
- Spirogyra fennica
- Spirogyra ferruginea
- Spirogyra flavescens
- Spirogyra flavicans
- Spirogyra fluviatilis
- Spirogyra formosa
- Spirogyra fossa
- Spirogyra fossulata
- Spirogyra foveolata
- Spirogyra franconica
- Spirogyra frankliniana
- Spirogyra frigida
- Spirogyra fritschiana
- Spirogyra fukienica
- Spirogyra fuzhouensis
- Spirogyra gallica
- Spirogyra gaterslebensis
- Spirogyra gauthier
- Spirogyra gauthieri
- Spirogyra gharbensis
- Spirogyra ghosei
- Spirogyra gibberosa
- Spirogyra glabra
- Spirogyra globulispora
- Spirogyra gobonensis
- Spirogyra goetzei
- Spirogyra gracilis
- Spirogyra granulata
- Spirogyra gratiana
- Spirogyra groenlandica
- Spirogyra guangchowensis
- Spirogyra guineense
- Spirogyra gujaratensis
- Spirogyra gurdaspurensis
- Spirogyra haimenensis
- Spirogyra hartigii
- Spirogyra hassalii
- Spirogyra hassallii
- Spirogyra hatillensis
- Spirogyra heeriana
- Spirogyra henanensis
- Spirogyra herbipolensis
- Spirogyra heterospora
- Spirogyra hoehnei
- Spirogyra hoggarica
- Spirogyra hollandiae
- Spirogyra hopeiensis
- Spirogyra hunanensis
- Spirogyra hungarica
- Spirogyra hyalina
- Spirogyra hymerae
- Spirogyra inconstans
- Spirogyra incrassata
- Spirogyra indica
- Spirogyra inflata
- Spirogyra insignis
- Spirogyra insueta
- Spirogyra intermedia
- Spirogyra intorta
- Spirogyra ionia
- Spirogyra irregularis
- Spirogyra ivorensis
- Spirogyra iyengarii
- Spirogyra jaoensis
- Spirogyra jaoi
- Spirogyra jassiensis
- Spirogyra jatobae
- Spirogyra jogensis
- Spirogyra jugalis
- Spirogyra juliana
- Spirogyra kaffirita
- Spirogyra kamatii
- Spirogyra karnalae
- Spirogyra kolae
- Spirogyra koreana
- Spirogyra krubergii
- Spirogyra kundaensis
- Spirogyra kuusamoensis
- Spirogyra labbei Gauthier
- Spirogyra labyrinthica
- Spirogyra lacustris
- Spirogyra lagerheimii
- Spirogyra laka
- Spirogyra lallandiae
- Spirogyra lambertiana
- Spirogyra lamellata
- Spirogyra lamellosa
- Spirogyra lapponica
- Spirogyra latireticulata
- Spirogyra latviensis
- Spirogyra laxa
- Spirogyra laxistrata
- Spirogyra lenticularis
- Spirogyra lentiformis
- Spirogyra lians
- Spirogyra libyca
- Spirogyra lismorensis
- Spirogyra lodziensis
- Spirogyra longifissa
- Spirogyra lubrica
- Spirogyra lucknowensis
- Spirogyra lushanensis
- Spirogyra luteospora
- Spirogyra lutetiana
- Spirogyra lymerae
- Spirogyra macrospora
- Spirogyra maghrebiana
- Spirogyra major
- Spirogyra majuscula
- Spirogyra malmeana
- Spirogyra manormae
- Spirogyra maravillosa
- Spirogyra marchica
- Spirogyra margalefii
- Spirogyra margaritata
- Spirogyra marocana
- Spirogyra maxima
- Spirogyra megaspora
- Spirogyra meinningensis
- Spirogyra meridionalis
- Spirogyra miamiana
- Spirogyra microdictyon
- Spirogyra microgranulata
- Spirogyra micropunctata
- Spirogyra microspora
- Spirogyra mienningensis
- Spirogyra minor
- Spirogyra minuticrassoidea
- Spirogyra minutifossa
- Spirogyra mirabilis
- Spirogyra miranda
- Spirogyra mirifica
- Spirogyra mithalaensis
- Spirogyra moebii
- Spirogyra monodiana
- Spirogyra montserrati
- Spirogyra multiconjugata
- Spirogyra multiformis
- Spirogyra multistrata
- Spirogyra multitrata
- Spirogyra mutabilis
- Spirogyra narcissiana
- Spirogyra natchita
- Spirogyra nawaschinii
- Spirogyra neglecta
- Spirogyra neorhizobranchialis
- Spirogyra nitida
- Spirogyra nodifera
- Spirogyra notabilis
- Spirogyra nova
- Spirogyra novae
- Spirogyra nyctigama
- Spirogyra oblata
- Spirogyra oblonga
- Spirogyra obovata
- Spirogyra occidentalis
- Spirogyra oligocarpa
- Spirogyra olivascens
- Spirogyra ollicola
- Spirogyra oltmannsii
- Spirogyra orientalis
- Spirogyra orthospira
- Spirogyra ouarsenica
- Spirogyra oudhensis
- Spirogyra ovigera
- Spirogyra pachyderma
- Spirogyra palghatensis
- Spirogyra paludosa
- Spirogyra papulata
- Spirogyra paradoxa
- Spirogyra paraguayensis
- Spirogyra parva
- Spirogyra parvispora
- Spirogyra parvula
- Spirogyra pascheriana
- Spirogyra patliputri
- Spirogyra peipeingensis
- Spirogyra pellucida
- Spirogyra perforans
- Spirogyra plena
- Spirogyra poljanskii
- Spirogyra polymorpha
- Spirogyra polytaeniata
- Spirogyra porangabae
- Spirogyra porticalis
- Spirogyra pratensis
- Spirogyra princeps
- Spirogyra proavita
- Spirogyra prolifica
- Spirogyra propria
- Spirogyra protecta
- Spirogyra pseudoaedaloides
- Spirogyra pseudobellis
- Spirogyra pseudocorrugata
- Spirogyra pseudocylindrica
- Spirogyra pseudogibberosa
- Spirogyra pseudogranulata
- Spirogyra pseudojuergensii
- Spirogyra pseudomaiuscula
- Spirogyra pseudomajuscula
- Spirogyra pseudomaxima
- Spirogyra pseudoneglecta
- Spirogyra pseudonodifera
- Spirogyra pseudoplena
- Spirogyra pseudopulchrata
- Spirogyra pseudoreticulata
- Spirogyra pseudorhizopus
- Spirogyra pseudosahnii
- Spirogyra pseudospreeiana
- Spirogyra pseudosubreticulata
- Spirogyra pseudotenuissima
- Spirogyra pseudotetrapla
- Spirogyra pseudotexensis
- Spirogyra pseudovarians
- Spirogyra pseudovenusta
- Spirogyra pseudowoodii
- Spirogyra pulchella
- Spirogyra pulchra
- Spirogyra pulchrifigurata
- Spirogyra puncticulata
- Spirogyra punctulata
- Spirogyra quadrata
- Spirogyra quadrilaminata
- Spirogyra quezelii
- Spirogyra quilonensis
- Spirogyra quinina
- Spirogyra quinquilaminata
- Spirogyra randhawae
- Spirogyra rattanii
- Spirogyra rectangularis
- Spirogyra rectispira
- Spirogyra regularis
- Spirogyra reinhardii
- Spirogyra reticulata
- Spirogyra reticulatum
- Spirogyra reticuliana
- Spirogyra rhizobrachialis
- Spirogyra rhizobranchialis
- Spirogyra rhizoides
- Spirogyra rhizopus
- Spirogyra rhodopea
- Spirogyra rivularis
- Spirogyra robusta
- Spirogyra rugosa
- Spirogyra rugulosa
- Spirogyra rupestris
- Spirogyra sahnii
- Spirogyra salina
- Spirogyra sanjingensis
- Spirogyra sarmae
- Spirogyra schmidtii
- Spirogyra schweickerdtii
- Spirogyra scripta
- Spirogyra scrobiculata
- Spirogyra sculpta
- Spirogyra semiornata
- Spirogyra senegalensis
- Spirogyra setiformis
- Spirogyra shantungensis
- Spirogyra shanxiensis
- Spirogyra shenzaensis
- Spirogyra siamensis
- Spirogyra siberica
- Spirogyra silesiaca
- Spirogyra sinensis
- Spirogyra singularis
- Spirogyra skujae
- Spirogyra skvortzowii
- Spirogyra smithii
- Spirogyra speciosa
- Spirogyra sphaerica
- Spirogyra sphaerocarpa
- Spirogyra sphaerospora
- Spirogyra spinescens
- Spirogyra splendida
- Spirogyra spreeiana
- Spirogyra subaffinis
- Spirogyra subbullata
- Spirogyra subcolligata
- Spirogyra subcrassa
- Spirogyra subcrassiuscula
- Spirogyra subcylindrospora
- Spirogyra subechinata
- Spirogyra subfossulata
- Spirogyra subglabra
- Spirogyra sublambertiana
- Spirogyra subluteospora
- Spirogyra submajuscula
- Spirogyra submargaritata
- Spirogyra submarina
- Spirogyra submaxima
- Spirogyra subobovata
- Spirogyra subpapulatata
- Spirogyra subpellucida
- Spirogyra subpolytaeniata
- Spirogyra subpratensis
- Spirogyra subreflexa
- Spirogyra subreticulata
- Spirogyra subsalina
- Spirogyra subsalsa
- Spirogyra subsalso
- Spirogyra subtropica
- Spirogyra suburbana
- Spirogyra subvelata
- Spirogyra sulcata
- Spirogyra sundanensis
- Spirogyra superba
- Spirogyra supervarians
- Spirogyra szechwanensis
- Spirogyra taftiana
- Spirogyra taiyuanensis
- Spirogyra tandae
- Spirogyra taylorii
- Spirogyra tenuior
- Spirogyra tenuispina
- Spirogyra tenuissima
- Spirogyra teodoresci
- Spirogyra ternata
- Spirogyra tetrapla
- Spirogyra tibetensis
- Spirogyra tjibodensis
- Spirogyra tolosana
- Spirogyra torta
- Spirogyra trachycarpa
- Spirogyra transeauiana
- Spirogyra triplicata
- Spirogyra trochainii
- Spirogyra tropica Kützing
- Spirogyra tsingtaoensis
- Spirogyra tuberculata
- Spirogyra tuberculosa
- Spirogyra tucumaniae
- Spirogyra tumida
- Spirogyra turfosa
- Spirogyra tuwensis
- Spirogyra ugandense
- Spirogyra unduliseptum
- Spirogyra urbana
- Spirogyra van-zanten
- Spirogyra variabilis
- Spirogyra varians
- Spirogyra variformis
- Spirogyra varshaii
- Spirogyra vasishtii
- Spirogyra velata
- Spirogyra venkataramanii
- Spirogyra venosa
- Spirogyra venusta
- Spirogyra vermiculata
- Spirogyra verrucogranulata
- Spirogyra verrucosa
- Spirogyra verruculosa
- Spirogyra voltaica
- Spirogyra wangii
- Spirogyra weberi
- Spirogyra weishuiensis
- Spirogyra weletischii
- Spirogyra welwitschii
- Spirogyra westii
- Spirogyra willei
- Spirogyra wittrockii
- Spirogyra wollnyi
- Spirogyra wrightiana
- Spirogyra wuchanensis
- Spirogyra wuhanensis
- Spirogyra xiaoganensis
- Spirogyra xinxiangensis
- Spirogyra yexianensis
- Spirogyra yuin
- Spirogyra yunnanensis
Related: Spore v/s Zoospore
Related: Chlamydomonas v/s Spirogyra