zoospore

American  

[zoh-uh-spawr, -spohr] / ˈzoʊ əˌspɔr, -ˌspoʊr /

noun

1. Botany, Mycology. an asexual spore produced by certain algae and some fungi, capable of moving about by means of flagella.

2. Zoology. any of the minute motile flagelliform or ameboid bodies that issue from the sporocyst of certain protozoans.

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zoospore British  

/ ˈzəʊəˌspɔː, zəʊˈɒspərəs, ˌzəʊəˈspɔːrəs /

noun

1. an asexual spore of some algae and fungi that moves by means of flagella

2. one of several spores produced in a saclike body (sporocyst) by some parasitic protozoans

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zoospore Scientific  

/ zō′ə-spôr /

1. A motile flagellated spore that serves as a means of asexual reproduction among certain algae, fungi, and protoctists.

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Other Word Forms

• zoosporic adjective
• zoosporous adjective

Etymology

Origin of zoospore

First recorded in 1840–50; zoo- + spore

Example Sentences

Phytophthora is a zoospore, which means it goes through a swimming phase during its life cycle.

From Scientific American

After four days, the fungus developed discharge tubes and released new zoospores, showing that the geese’s toe scales provided not just a site for the fungus to reside but also to reproduce.

From Scientific American

The individuals of which it consists are composed of threads, jointed, either simple or branched, mostly of a grass-green colour, and propagating either by minute zoospores or by metamorphosed joints.

From Project Gutenberg

They are usually included in Oomycetes, but their simple structure, minute size, usually uniciliate zoospores, and their negative characters would justify their retention as a separate group.

From Project Gutenberg

Bullfrogs serve as perfect vectors for fungus, as the frogs can survive infection loads of millions of chytrid zoospores.

From Scientific American