What does aplanospore mean?
An aplanospore is a type of asexual spore produced by certain algae and fungi that is entirely non-motile: it carries no flagella and therefore cannot swim through water as its mobile counterpart, the zoospore, does. The word comes from the Greek prefix 'a-' meaning 'not' combined with 'planos', meaning wandering — quite literally a 'wanderingless' spore. Aplanospores typically form when environmental conditions become unfavourable, such as during drying or nutrient depletion, allowing the organism to survive until circumstances improve. They are usually enclosed in a thin to moderately thickened wall and may function as resting stages before germinating into new individuals. Because they are defined chiefly by their lack of motility rather than by any single structure, aplanospores vary considerably across species. The term appears mainly in phycological, mycological, and botanical contexts, making it valuable for students and researchers studying algal life cycles and spore-based reproduction.
nounA thin-walled, non-motile asexual spore produced by certain algae and fungi; unlike a zoospore, it lacks flagella and cannot swim.
- A non-motile, flagellum-less asexual spore produced by certain algae and fungi, often serving as a resting stage under unfavourable conditions.
"Under drought conditions the green alga reproduces by forming aplanospores rather than swimming zoospores."
"When its pond began to dry up, the alga switched to producing aplanospores instead of free-swimming zoospores."
"The mycologist noted abundant aplanospores in the fungal culture, each one lacking any trace of flagella."
Standard regular plural; typically used when describing production or observation of multiple spores in a specimen or culture.
"Microscopy revealed clusters of aplanospores along the filaments of the alga."
Its name literally means 'wanderless spore' — in a world of swimming zoospores, the aplanospore simply stays put and lets the environment do the travelling.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of aplanospore
The word aplanospore derives from New Latin, combining the Greek negative prefix 'a-' ('not') with 'planos' ('wandering' or 'roaming') and 'spora' ('seed' or 'spore'). The root 'planos' ultimately connects it to English words such as 'planet', so named because planets appear to wander across the sky. It entered scientific usage in the nineteenth century alongside related terms like 'zoospore', as biologists classified asexual spores according to whether they could move.
How aplanospore is actually used
Strictly technical vocabulary used in phycology, botany, and mycology; rarely encountered outside scientific literature or biology coursework. The plural is regular.
Easily confused with aplanospore
A zoospore is a flagellated, motile asexual spore that can swim, whereas an aplanospore has no flagella and is non-motile.
An akinete is a thick-walled dormant cell formed by filamentous cyanobacteria, while an aplanospore is a generally thinner-walled non-motile spore of algae and fungi.