Chlamydomonas is widely distributed in freshwater or damp soil. It is generally found in a habitat rich in ammonium salt. It possesses red eye spots for photosensitivity and reproduces both asexually and sexually.
Chlamydomonas's asexual reproduction occurs by zoospores, aplanospores, hynospores, or a palmella stage, while its sexual reproduction is through isogamy, anisogamy or oogamy.