REPRODUCTION OF BACTERIA 51 



the free end of the filament divide in one, two, or three planes 

 and form reproductive bodies of a specialized type known as 

 gonidia. These gonidia are cast off, acquire flagella in some 

 species, and, for a period, may be motile. They then attach 

 to some object and reproduce a new filament. Gonidia are 

 frequently the^ame shape as the original cell, although they 

 often assume a rather spherical shape in certain species. At 

 one time gonidia were thought by some to be spores, but 

 they are non-resistant, and do not give any of the staining 

 reactions for spores. 



