Mermaid's wineglass is a genus of green algae, Acetabularia, in the family Polyphysaceae, typically found in subtropical waters. It is a single-celled organism that is nonetheless gigantic in size and complex in form, making it an important model organism for studying cell biology; a mature individual resembles the round leaf of a nasturtium, stands four to ten centimeters tall, and has a rhizoid base, a long stalk, and a top umbrella of branches that may fuse into a cap. Unlike other giant single-celled organisms, which have many nuclei, members of this genus have a single nucleus located in the rhizoid, which lets the cell regenerate completely if its cap is removed.
Facts
Classification
DietPhotosynthetic Autotroph 1 Relationship to People Living or Extinct Scientific Name Connections
Child Taxon Of
Source GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Acetabularia
Sources
1. Wikipedia: Acetabularia
Wikipediaarticle text (relationship to people), EntityId 336730
Acetabularia species occasionally make their way into the aquarium trade.
Article text
These rhythmic changes in respiratory and photosynthetic activity are maintained under constant conditions, even with the removal of the nucleus, showing the regulation of the rhythm is independent of the nucleus.
In Group: Green Seaweeds (Ulva, Codium and Caulerpa), Lead
Acetabularia is a genus of green algae in the family Polyphysaceae.
View the Source 2. Mermaid's wineglass (Wikipedia)
Acetabularia: present tense, model organism for cell biologyView the Source 3. GBIF Backbone Taxonomy: Acetabularia
GBIF Backbone TaxonomyTaxon recordQuote, Taxon record
"canonicalName": "Acetabularia"
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