antherozoid

Description:

Portrait of antherozoid (motile male gamete structurally similar to the zoospore but smaller) of the aquatic filamentous green alga Oedogonium. Reproduction in Oedogonium may be asexual, by means of large flagellated zoospores (motile reproductive cells capable of transformation into another developmental stage but incapable of sexual fusion) or o?¶gamous with fertilization of o?¶gonia by antherozoids (motile male gametes structurally similar to zoospore but smaller). O?¶gonia appear as large globular cells interposed between the cylindrical vegetative cells of the filament. Fertilization occurs after the antherozoid penetrates a specialized receptive area of the o?¶gonial cell wall. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho in October 2003. DIC optics.