What is "volvox globator"

Volvox \Vol"vox\, n. (Bot.) A genus of minute, pale-green, globular, organisms, about one fiftieth of an inch in diameter, found rolling through water, the motion being produced by minute colorless cilia. It has been considered as belonging to the flagellate Infusoria, but is now referred to the vegetable kingdom, and each globule is considered a colony of many individuals. The commonest species is Volvox globator, often called globe animalcule.

Globe \Globe\ (gl[=o]b), n. [L. globus, perh. akin to L. glomus a ball of yarn, and E. clump, golf: cf. F. globe.]

1. A round or spherical body, solid or hollow; a body whose surface is in every part equidistant from the center; a ball; a sphere.

2. Anything which is nearly spherical or globular in shape; as, the globe of the eye; the globe of a lamp.

3. The earth; the terraqueous ball; -- usually preceded by the definite article.
   --Locke.

4. A round model of the world; a spherical representation of the earth or heavens; as, a terrestrial or celestial globe; -- called also artificial globe.

5. A body of troops, or of men or animals, drawn up in a circle; -- a military formation used by the Romans, answering to the modern infantry square. Him round A globe of fiery seraphim inclosed. --Milton. Globe amaranth (Bot.), a plant of the genus Gomphrena ( G. globosa), bearing round heads of variously colored flowers, which long retain color when gathered. Globe animalcule, a small, globular, locomotive organism ( Volvox globator), once throught to be an animal, afterward supposed to be a colony of microscopic alg[ae]. Globe of compression (Mil.), a kind of mine producing a wide crater; -- called also overcharged mine. Globe daisy (Bot.), a plant or flower of the genus Globularing, common in Europe. The flowers are minute and form globular heads. Globe sight, a form of front sight placed on target rifles. Globe slater (Zo["o]l.), an isopod crustacean of the genus Spheroma. Globe thistle (Bot.), a thistlelike plant with the flowers in large globular heads ( Cynara Scolymus); also, certain species of the related genus Echinops. Globe valve.

   1. A ball valve.

   2. A valve inclosed in a globular chamber.
      --Knight.

      Syn: Globe, Sphere, Orb, Ball.

      Usage: Globe denotes a round, and usually a solid body; sphere is the term applied in astronomy to such a body, or to the concentric spheres or orbs of the old astronomers; orb is used, especially in poetry, for globe or sphere, and also for the pathway of a heavenly body; ball is applied to the heavenly bodies concieved of as impelled through space.

Volvox globator is a species of green algae of the genus Volvox. It was originally described by Carl Linnaeus in his 1758 work Systema Naturae. In 1856 its sexuality was described by Ferdinand Cohn and is the same as Sphaeroplea annulina.