Sphaeropleaceae

Sphaeropleaceae is a family of green algae in the order Sphaeropleales.^[1]

Sphaeropleaceae
British fresh-water algae, exclusive of Desmidieae and Diatomaceae (1882-1884)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Plantae
Division:	Chlorophyta
Class:	Chlorophyceae
Order:	Sphaeropleales
Family:	Sphaeropleaceae Kützing, 1849
Genera[1]
Atractomorpha Characiopodium Parallela Radiofilum Sphaeroplea

The Sphaeropleaceae consists of solitary cells or filaments of cells. They are coenocytic, and reproduce asexually via zoospores or sexually via anisogamy or oogamy.^[2]

The family has had a convoluted taxonomic history. Depending on the author, it has been placed in one of many orders including Ulotrichales or Chaetophorales.^[3] Currently, it is placed in its own order, the Sphaeropleales. It appears to be the sister group to the rest of the families in its order.^[2] It also differs from the other families in the ultrastructure of the basal bodies of their flagella.^[2]