zoospore Hear it!

zoospore Definition

zoo·spore (zō′ə spôr′)

noun

  1. Bot. an asexual sporangial spore, esp. of certain fungi or algae, capable of independent motion usually by means of cilia or flagella
  2. Zool. a motile flagellate or amoebic reproductive cell arising from a sporocyst in certain protozoans

Etymology: zoo- + spore

zoospore Related Forms
zo′o·spor′ic (--spôr′ik) adjective or zo·os′·po·rous-äs′pə rəs
zoospore Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • release: At maturity, the protoplasts convert to sporangia, which release zoospores into the soil.

Adjective modifier

  • motile: Oospores germinate to release motile zoospores that are readily carried in soil water and thus spread the disease within the crop.
  • haploid: Eventually, the resting spores germinate to release haploid zoospores which repeat the infection cycle. [ © Jim Deacon ] Fig.

Modifies a noun

  • suspension: The papers presented in this conference mostly used leaf disk inoculation technique with zoospore suspension.
  • activity: Bayer's fungicide development manager Eileen Bardsley attributes this to fenamidone's zoospore activity.
  • membrane: The zoospore plasma membrane is continuous with the flagellar membrane ( F ) but only part of the flagellum is seen in this section.

Noun used with modifier

  • pythium: See Chapter 10 for details. [ © Jim Deacon ] Fig 10.20 Accumulation and encystment of Pythium zoospores on wheat roots.