What Are Some Characteristics of a Volvox?
Characteristics of a Volvox include the fact that each cell contains two flagella, which aids in movement through water, and the colonies reproduce asexually. The cells of a Volvox are held together by protoplasm strands.
The Volvox is a mobile colony of green algae. There are between 500 and 50,000 cells within the colony. These colonies are spherical or oval hollow in nature, and may be larger than a pinhead. The cells within a colony are contained within a gelatinous wall. For movement, each cell contains two flagella, which allows the organism to move through the water. In terms of reproduction, the colonies are asexual and produce daughter colonies within the parent colony. Once the daughter colony is sufficiently mature, the parent colony opens up, releasing the daughter colonies. For food, the Volvox cells contain chlorophyll and are able to make their own food through photosynthesis.