Characiochloridaceae

Characiochloridaceae is a family of green algae in the order Chlamydomonadales.

Characiochloridaceae consists of solitary or rarely clustered cells, attached to a substrate via a stalk or other adhesive organ. Cells are heteropolar, ranging from egg-shaped to spindle- or pear-shaped, but also sometimes spherical. The adhesive part of the cell may be colored brown from iron compounds. The cell contains a single parietal chloroplast, which may be cup-shaped and variously lobed and dissected. Chloroplasts have at least one pyrenoid surrounded by a layer of starch. Vegetative cells are uninucleate, i.e. with one nucleus. Asexual reproduction occurs when the protoplast successively divides into 2-64 zoospores, each with two flagella. Less often, aplanospores or autospores are formed. Sexual reproduction has been observed, but is rare.