page_title: Colpoda
section_title: Reproduction
hierarchical_section_title: Colpoda / Reproduction
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Konjugation beim Ciliaten Colpoda cucullus (Heutierchen)
context_page_description: Colpoda is a genus of ciliates in the class Colpodea, order Colpodida, and family Colpodidae.
context_section_description: Colpoda normally divide in cysts, from which two to eight individuals emerge, four being the most common number. This produces genetically identical individuals. The rate at which such reproduction occurs and how it is affected by various environmental conditions has been the subject of a great deal of scientific research.
  On rare occasions, Colpoda have been observed to divide into 4 individuals without producing a cyst wall. It has been suggested that cystless reproduction was the normal mode of reproduction for Colpoda under optimum conditions and that the formation of cysts was a reaction to adverse environmental conditions. However, the knowledge gained by many years of culturing Colpoda in hay infusions has shown that this mode of reproduction remains rare despite what would seem to be ideal environmental conditions.
  Like many protists, Colpoda can also reproduce by conjugation. This involves two Colpoda joining at the oral groove and exchanging DNA, then later dividing, redistributing the DNA of the two original Colpoda to produce numerous genetically distinct offspring.
caption: Colpoda conjugation
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