Volvox
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. A genus of green algae: Volvox is the type genus of the family Volvocaceae. It consists of microscopic, free-swimming organisms that form hollow, spherical colonies composed of hundreds to thousands of individual cells. 2. A colonial flagellate: Each Volvox colony is a coordinated, rolling sphere of biflagellated cells. The individual cells use their minute flagella to rotate the entire colony through the water.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- Under the microscope, we observed a Volvox colony moving in a rolling motion.
- Volvox is often studied in biology classes as a model for the evolution of multicellularity.
- The spherical structure of Volvox allows it to efficiently photosynthesize.
Advanced Usage
- "Volvox globator": This is a common species name within the genus .
- The sample contained several specimens of Volvox globator.
Variants and Related Words
- Volvocaceae (n): The family of green algae to which the genus belongs.
- Colonial (adj): Describing organisms like that live in interconnected groups.
- Flagellate (n/adj): An organism possessing one or more flagella; cells are biflagellated.
Synonyms
- Green alga: A broad term for chlorophyll-containing, primarily aquatic organisms of the division Chlorophyta, which includes .
- Colonial organism: An organism composed of many connected cells that show some degree of specialization.
Notes
Volvox is a proper noun referring to a specific genus. It is typically italicized in scientific writing. The defining characteristic is its formation of beautiful, rotating spherical colonies, making it a classic example of a colonial protist.
Noun
- type genus of the Volvocaceae; minute pale green flagellates occurring in tiny spherical colonies; minute flagella rotate the colony about an axis