Eremosphaera

Eremosphaera
Scientific classification
Clade: Viridiplantae
Division: Chlorophyta
Class: Trebouxiophyceae
Order: Chlorellales
Family: Oocystaceae
Genus: Eremosphaera
De Bary, 1858
Type species
Eremosphaera viridis
De Bary
Species
  • Eremosphaera antillana
  • Eremosphaera eremosphaeria
  • Eremosphaera gigas
  • Eremosphaera minor
  • Eremosphaera oocystoides
  • Eremosphaera tanganyikae
  • Eremosphaera viridis
  • Eremosphaera yanshanensis

Eremosphaera is a genus of green algae in the family Oocystaceae. It was first described by Heinrich Anton de Bary in 1858, who thought it was a desmid. Since then, many authors have debated its classification, until its modern placement in the family Oocystaceae.

Eremosphaera is widely distributed in freshwater habitats around the world. Most species of Eremosphaera, including the type species E. viridis are associated with Sphagnum bogs, which are characteristically acidic and associated with desmids. A few species prefer alkaline habitats, such as Eremosphaera minor which grows in alkaline soil. Because of its large size, it is used as a model organism to study cell physiology.

The genus name comes from the Greek roots eremos, meaning "solitary", and sphaira, meaning "ball".

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