portrait

Description:

Opisthonecta (owe-pissed-though-neck-ta) - one of the peritrich ciliate, closely related to the sessile forms. However, this one is not sessile, but swims around. At the anterior end (upper) are the oral cilia (membranelles and undulating membrane) which form a spiral wreath which then enters into a narrowing channel in the cell to end at the cytostome. This is where food is packaged into food vacuoles, and several large food vacuoles are evident in this picture. Posteriorly, there is another wreath of cilia which help to propel the cell. Large curving macronucleus seen in the upper part of the cell. Differential interference contrast.