Volvox. This structure is made up of many small protozoa forming a spherical colony. It's good to be spherical for structural reasons when it comes to the ocean. They live simple lives, photosynthesizing and sticking together with their flagella. When it's time for reproduction, a few will move to the centre to form daughter colonies (the small balls seen inside the structure). As these daughter colonies grow larger, they will eventually be spat out to become a separate colony. These creatures are incredibly important, as they shows a possible stepping stone into the metozoan body plan (i.e. the body plan of every other animal). It's not only an example of colonial living among unicellular organisms but perhaps an early precursor to cell differentiation, with some cells focusing on asexual reproduction while others remain in place.
07/03/26 ~ prints
