Cladophorales

Cladophorales are an order of green algae, in the class Ulvophyceae. Most members of this order are found in marine habitats; transitions to freshwater have occurred four times, in Pithophoraceae, Cladophora, Rhizoclonium, and Pseudorhizoclonium respectively. Only two genera, Spongiochrysis and Pseudorhizoclonium, are terrestrial. The earliest known representative is Proterocladus antiquus from the Mesoproterozoic-Neoproterozoic boundary in North China. The order Cladophorales consists of filamentous macroalgae attached to a surface. The filaments are uniseriate (one cell thick) with multinucleate cells, and range from unbranched to profusely branched. In some taxa, the filaments are modified into giant single cells, three-dimensional networks of branches, or pseudoparenchymatic clusters. Reproduction occurs vegetatively, asexually, and sexually. Vegetative reproduction occurs by fragmentation of filaments. Asexual reproduction occurs via zoospores, which are biflagellate or quadriflag......read more on Wikipedia.