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Bryometopus (bry-o-me-toe-puss) is a uniformly ciliated and the cell is rounded at both poles and is slightly reniform. The conspicuous peristome lies obliquely across the ventral surface. The single contractile vacuole is located approximately in the middle of the cell on the ventral side. The macronucleus may be oval or elongate with several micronuclei. Bryometopus can be confused with Balantidioides which does not have an undulating membrane and with Condylostoma which has a wide triangular peristome and a highly conspicuous undulating membrane. This specimen was collected in freshwater ponds near Konstanz, Germany. Differencial interference contrast.
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Right side view of the colpodid ciliate, Bryometopus pseudochilodon (Kahl, 1932). The cell shape and size is quite variable. This population has a shape like Colpoda maupasi. The anterior end is pointed and the posterior end broadly rounded.The ventral surface is relatively straight and the dorsal surface is convex. There are 20-25 slightly spiraled somatic kineties consisting of doubly ciliated dikinetids. The kineties lie in shallow pellicular grooves. Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with decaying grass near Boise, Idaho march 2005. DIC.
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Right ventrolateral view of the infraciliature of the colpodid ciliate, Bryometopus pseudochilodon (Kahl, 1932). The cell shape and size is quite variable. This population has a shape like Colpoda maupasi. The anterior end is pointed and the posterior end broadly rounded. The elliptical oral vestibulum is in the anterior 1/3. There is a curved line of adoral membranelles along the left side of the vestibulum and an undulating membrane on the right. There are 20-25 slightly spiraled somatic kineties consisting of doubly ciliated dikinetids. The ellipsoid macronucleus contains many small micronuclei. There are two relatively large micronuclei adhering to the macronucleus. Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with decaying grass near Boise, Idaho march 2005. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.
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Left side of the colpodid ciliate, Bryometopus pseudochilodon (Kahl, 1932). The cell shape and size is quite variable. This population has a shape like Colpoda maupasi. The anterior end is pointed and the posterior end broadly rounded.The ventral surface is relatively straight and the dorsal surface is convex. There are 20-25 slightly spiraled somatic kineties consisting of doubly ciliated dikinetids. The kineties lie in shallow pellicular grooves. Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with decaying grass near Boise, Idaho march 2005. DIC.
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Macronucleus and micronuclei of the colpodid ciliate, Bryometopus pseudochilodon (Kahl, 1932). The central ellipsoid macronucleus contains many small micronuclei (seen here). There are two relatively large micronuclei adhering to the macronucleus (seen here at 3 o'clock). Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with decaying grass near Boise, Idaho march 2005. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.
