Class 11 · Plant Kingdom

Red Algae Reproduction: Non-Motile — NEET Biology

✅ Asked in NEET 2018
✅ NEET 2018 PYQ

Which one is wrongly matched?

QuestionNEET 2018

Which one is wrongly matched?

Answer & NCERT explanation

Correct answer: A Uniflagellate gametes – Polysiphonia

Polysiphonia is a red alga that produces non-motile gametes (aplanogametes), not uniflagellate gametes. According to NCERT, red algae lack flagella in their reproductive cells. The other matches are correct: brown algae produce biflagellate zoospores, Marchantia has gemma cups for asexual reproduction, and Chlorella is indeed a unicellular organism.

Read more NCERT concept on the PYQ

📖 NCERT Source

The red algae usually reproduce vegetatively by fragmentation. They reproduce asexually by non-motile spores and sexually by non-motile

NCERT Biology · Class 11 · Chapter 3 · Paragraph 17
How NTA Uses This Concept

Red algae reproduce through three methods: vegetative fragmentation, asexual reproduction via non-motile spores, and sexual reproduction via non-motile gametes. The key NEET concept is that red algae gametes are NON-MOTILE (lack flagella), unlike green algae and brown algae which produce motile spores and gametes with flagella. Students often confuse red algae with other algae groups, incorrectly remembering them as having flagellated gametes. To remember correctly: red algae = non-motile, brown/green algae = motile structures. This distinction is tested because it's a critical differentiating characteristic used in algal classification and taxonomy.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does NCERT say about red algae usually reproduce?
The red algae usually reproduce vegetatively by fragmentation. They reproduce asexually by non-motile spores and sexually by non-motile
Has this concept appeared in NEET?
Yes — appeared in NEET 2018. States red algae reproduce by non-motile gametes, not uniflagellate
Which chapter is this from?
Plant Kingdom, Class 11 NCERT Biology.

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