

A. (Orange background)
Starting from spores, male and female heterothallic (different thalli) gametophytes develop after
germination. On a fertile side-trichoblast spermatangia develop which eventually give rise to
spermatia (male gametes). On (short) trichoblasts on the female part, carpogonia are formed that
give rise to egg cells.
 B. (Green background)
The egg cell is fertilized in the carpogonium and also the outgrowth of the zygote happens in the
female gametophyte. The thus formed carposporophyte remains on the gametophyte! On the
carposporophyte sporangiae surrounded by sterile "tissue" develop: the cystocarp. Through
mitotic divisions spores are released from these carposporangia in the cystocarp. These spores
are called carposporen.
 C. (Blue background)
The carpospores don't develop to a gametophyte (which should be the case if the alternation of
generation was diphasic), but they grow to form so-called tetrasporophytes. On this second kind
of sporophyte tetrasporangia are formed which go through meiosis and produce tetraspores.
From the four (= tetra) spores in the average two male and two female gametophyte develop. In
tetraspore heterospory occurs.
Radbound University Nijmegen (2013). Red algae (Polysiphonia). Retrieved from
http://www.vcbio.science.ru.nl/en/virtuallessons/redalgae/
Radbound University Nijmegen (2013). Brown algae (Laminaria, Fucus). Retrieved from
http://www.vcbio.science.ru.nl/en/virtuallessons/brownalgae/

Radbound University Nijmegen (2013). Green algae: Chlorophytae. Retrieved from

http://www.vcbio.science.ru.nl/en/virtuallessons/greenalgae/chlorophytae/