Zygogamy

a type of sexual process in a number of lower plants: the fungi Zygomycetes and the green algae Conjugatae. During zygogamy, protuberances that connect the conjugating individuals are formed, and a fusion of the protoplasts of two cells that are not externally differentiated into male and female sexual elements takes place. In Zygomycetes multinucleate cells, the so-called gametangia, fuse. In Conjugatae there is a fusion of uninucleate cells. In Zygomycetes the product of conjugation, the so-called zygospore, is formed at the location of the two gametangia. In Conjugatae the zygospore is formed in the conjugation tube or in one of the conjugating cells.