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Desmids are an order
Order (biology)

In Biological classification used in biology, the order is a taxonomic rank between class and family . The superorder is a rank between class and order....
 (Desmidiales) of green algae, comprising around 40 genera
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 and 5,000 to 6,000 species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
, found mostly but not exclusively in fresh water
Fresh Water

Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve....
. Most are unicellular
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
, and are divided into two compartment
Compartment

In heraldry, a compartment is a design placed under the Shield , usually rocks, a grassy mount, or some sort of other landscape upon which the supporters are depicted as standing....
s separated by a narrow bridge or isthmus. Desmids assume a variety of highly symmetrical
Symmetry

Symmetry generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically-pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection....
 and generally attractive shapes, which provide the basis for their classification. Each compartment has one chloroplast
Chloroplast

Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and other eukaryote organisms that conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts capture light energy to conserve Thermodynamic free energy in the form of Adenosine triphosphate and reduce NADP to NADPH through a complex set of processes called photosynthesis....
, and no flagella
Flagellum

A flagellum is a tail-like structure that projects from the cell body of certain prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and it functions in locomotion....
. Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction is characterized by processes that pass a Genetic recombination of Genetics material to offspring, resulting in Genetic diversity....
 occurs through a process of conjugation
Conjugation

Conjugation may refer to:*Grammatical conjugation, the modification of a verb from its basic form, including:**Latin conjugation**Spanish conjugation...
, also found among the Zygnematales
Zygnematales

The Zygnematales , also called the Conjugales, are an order of green algae, comprising several thousand different species in genus such as the well-known Zygnema and Spirogyra....
.






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Desmids are an order
Order (biology)

In Biological classification used in biology, the order is a taxonomic rank between class and family . The superorder is a rank between class and order....
 (Desmidiales) of green algae, comprising around 40 genera
Genus

A genus is a low-level taxonomic rank used in the classification of living and fossil organisms. The taxonomic ranks are domain , kingdom , phylum, class , order , family , genus, and species....
 and 5,000 to 6,000 species
Species

In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring....
, found mostly but not exclusively in fresh water
Fresh Water

Fresh Water is the debut album by Australian rock and blues singer Alison McCallum, released in 1972. Rare for an Australian artist at the time, it came in a gatefold sleeve....
. Most are unicellular
Cell (biology)

The cell is the structural and functional unit of all known Life organisms. It is the smallest unit of an organism that is classified as living, and is often called the building bricks of life....
, and are divided into two compartment
Compartment

In heraldry, a compartment is a design placed under the Shield , usually rocks, a grassy mount, or some sort of other landscape upon which the supporters are depicted as standing....
s separated by a narrow bridge or isthmus. Desmids assume a variety of highly symmetrical
Symmetry

Symmetry generally conveys two primary meanings. The first is an imprecise sense of harmonious or aesthetically-pleasing proportionality and balance; such that it reflects beauty or perfection....
 and generally attractive shapes, which provide the basis for their classification. Each compartment has one chloroplast
Chloroplast

Chloroplasts are organelles found in plant cells and other eukaryote organisms that conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts capture light energy to conserve Thermodynamic free energy in the form of Adenosine triphosphate and reduce NADP to NADPH through a complex set of processes called photosynthesis....
, and no flagella
Flagellum

A flagellum is a tail-like structure that projects from the cell body of certain prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, and it functions in locomotion....
. Sexual reproduction
Sexual reproduction

Sexual reproduction is characterized by processes that pass a Genetic recombination of Genetics material to offspring, resulting in Genetic diversity....
 occurs through a process of conjugation
Conjugation

Conjugation may refer to:*Grammatical conjugation, the modification of a verb from its basic form, including:**Latin conjugation**Spanish conjugation...
, also found among the Zygnematales
Zygnematales

The Zygnematales , also called the Conjugales, are an order of green algae, comprising several thousand different species in genus such as the well-known Zygnema and Spirogyra....
. These two groups are closely related, and may be united as the division Gamophyta. The desmids are sometimes treated as members of the Zygnematales, but more often given the separate order Desmidiales.

Further reading

  • Brook, Alan J. (1981) The Biology of Desmids. (University of California Press, Botanical Monographs 16). ISBN 0-520-04281-6.


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