portrait

Description:

Detail view of dorsum left side of Loxodes magnus, the largest species in the karyorelict ciliate genus, Loxodes. The termination of the right side kineties is seen here. Large orange refractile concretions of barium sulfate occupy several Müller's vesicles on the dorsal side in this image. These probably act as statoreceptors, orienting the organism in the gravitational field. There are also smaller subcortical pigment granules, which may have chemo- and phototactic functions (seen here). Several food vacuoles are visible. From organically enriched freshwater pond sediment near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics