in vivo

Description :

Raphidocystis tubifera (Penard, 1904), a centrohelid heliozoan. The periplast is composed of 3 types of siliceous elements: elliptical tangential plate scales, long radial trumpet-like scales and short, broad radial funnel-shaped scales. The latter two types are seen well in this image at the upper margin of the periplast. The tangential elements are difficult to see. The long axopodia and their extrusomes are visible at 12 o'clock in this image. Zoochlorellae are seen in the cytoplasm. Although species identification rests on EM morphology of the tangential plate scales, the organisms in these images conform to the description of R. tubifera (Mikrjukov,K.A. Arch. Protistenkd. 147: 205-212). From slow flowing organically enriched freshwater stream near Boise, Idaho. Differential interference contrast.