Zooxanthellae
Common Name: Zooxanthellae
Scientific Name: Symbiodinium
Phylum: Dinoflagellata
Class: Dinophyceae
Other Taxonomy: Order: Suessiales Family: Symbiodiniaceae Genus: Symbiodinium
Specimen #: 41
Circumstance: Observed online
Specimen Condition: Specimen condition presumed dead
Location: Unknown (online)
Typical Habitat: generally found only in waters with small amounts of suspended material, i.e., in water of low turbidity and low productivity.
Invasive? Not an invasive species
Natural area of growth: generally found only in waters with small amounts of suspended material, i.e., in water of low turbidity and low productivity.
Relationship with humans: No known relationship with humans other than they are in coral which humans find beautiful
Evolutionary Significance: The life cycle of Symbiodinium was first described from cells growing in culture media. For isolates that are in log phase growth, division rates occur every 1-3 days, with Symbiodinium cells alternating between a spherical, or coccoid, morphology and a smaller flagellated motile mastigote stage. While several similar schemes are published that describe how each morphological state transitions to other, the most compelling life history reconstruction was deduced from light and electron microscopy and nuclear staining evidence. During asexual propagation (sometimes referred to as mitotic or vegetative growth), cells undergo a diel cycle of karyokinesis (chromosome/nuclear division) in darkness. The mother cell then divides (cytokinesis) soon after exposure to light and releases two motile cells. The initiation and duration of motility varies among species. Approaching or at the end of the photoperiod the mastigotes cease swimming, release their flagella, and undergo a rapid metamorphosis into the coccoid form. As cultures reach stationary growth phase, fewer and fewer motile cells are observed, indicating slower division rates.
Sources: Fitt WK, Trench RK (1983) The relation of diel patterns of cell division to diel patterns of motility in the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium microadriaticum Freudenthal in culture. New Phytol 94:421-432
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiodinium
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html
Scientific Name: Symbiodinium
Phylum: Dinoflagellata
Class: Dinophyceae
Other Taxonomy: Order: Suessiales Family: Symbiodiniaceae Genus: Symbiodinium
Specimen #: 41
Circumstance: Observed online
Specimen Condition: Specimen condition presumed dead
Location: Unknown (online)
Typical Habitat: generally found only in waters with small amounts of suspended material, i.e., in water of low turbidity and low productivity.
Invasive? Not an invasive species
Natural area of growth: generally found only in waters with small amounts of suspended material, i.e., in water of low turbidity and low productivity.
Relationship with humans: No known relationship with humans other than they are in coral which humans find beautiful
Evolutionary Significance: The life cycle of Symbiodinium was first described from cells growing in culture media. For isolates that are in log phase growth, division rates occur every 1-3 days, with Symbiodinium cells alternating between a spherical, or coccoid, morphology and a smaller flagellated motile mastigote stage. While several similar schemes are published that describe how each morphological state transitions to other, the most compelling life history reconstruction was deduced from light and electron microscopy and nuclear staining evidence. During asexual propagation (sometimes referred to as mitotic or vegetative growth), cells undergo a diel cycle of karyokinesis (chromosome/nuclear division) in darkness. The mother cell then divides (cytokinesis) soon after exposure to light and releases two motile cells. The initiation and duration of motility varies among species. Approaching or at the end of the photoperiod the mastigotes cease swimming, release their flagella, and undergo a rapid metamorphosis into the coccoid form. As cultures reach stationary growth phase, fewer and fewer motile cells are observed, indicating slower division rates.
Sources: Fitt WK, Trench RK (1983) The relation of diel patterns of cell division to diel patterns of motility in the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium microadriaticum Freudenthal in culture. New Phytol 94:421-432
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Symbiodinium
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/kits/corals/coral02_zooxanthellae.html