1. Plural of carpospore; spores produced by red algae (Rhodophyta) as a result of sexual reproduction, typically formed within a carposporophyte structure.
Usage: biology; botany; technical term

Examples

• The carpospores of red algae are released into the water to disperse and establish new populations.
• Marine biologists studied how carpospores develop within the cystocarp of the algal thallus.
• Carpospores represent the diploid generation in the complex life cycle of many red algae species.
• The release of carpospores is essential for the reproduction and genetic diversity of red algal communities.