Volvox

Volvox
Volvox sp.
Scientific classification Edit this classification
(unranked): Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Chlorophyceae
Order: Chlamydomonadales
Family: Volvocaceae
Genus: Volvox
L.
Species

Volvox aureus
Volvox carteri (V. nagariensis)
Volvox globator
Volvox barberi
Volvox rouseletti
Volvox dissipatrix
Volvox tertius

Volvox is a polyphyletic genus of chlorophyte green algae in the family Volvocaceae. Volvox species form spherical colonies of up to 50,000 cells, and for this reason they are sometimes called globe algae. They live in a variety of freshwater habitats, and were first reported by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek in 1700. Volvox diverged from unicellular ancestors approximately 200 million years ago.[1]

  1. ^ University of Arizona (February 22, 2009). "Single-celled algae took the leap to multicellularity 200 million years ago". Science Daily.