Zoospore

A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some protists, bacteria and fungi to propagate themselves. A zoospore is a motile asexual spore that uses a flagellum for locomotion. Also called a swarm spore, these spores are created by some protists, bacteria and fungi to propagate themselves. Zoospores may possess one or more distinct types of flagella: tinsel or 'decorated', and whiplash, in various combinations. Both tinsel and whiplash flagella beat in a sinusoidal wave pattern, but when both are present, the tinsel will beat in the opposite direction of the whiplash, to give 2 axes of control of motility. In eukaryotes there are four main types of zoospore, illustrated in Fig. 1 at right: A zoosporangium is the asexual structure (sporangium) in which the zoospores develop in plants, fungi, or protists (such as the Oomycota)