Possible resolutions of the D -puzzle

We explore possible ways of explaining the net charge event-by-event fluctuations in Au+Au collisions observed in experiments at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider within a quark recombination model. We estimate the number of quarks at recombination and their implications for the predicted net charge fluctuations. We also discuss the consequences of diquark and quark-antiquark clustering above the deconfinement temperature.