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Portrait of the loricate marine heterotrich ciliate, Metafolliculina producta. Most folliculinid ciliates are found in marine habitats. Metafolliculina producta is greenish-blue in color. This large species resides in a lorica that has distinct annular ridges toward the fluted open end. The highly contractile cell withdraws instantly into the lorica when disturbed (as seen in this image). The lorica is angulated but this feature is often not apparent due to compression by the coverslip. When fully protruded from the lorica the wing-like extensions of the peristomal area are evident. The cytostome lies at the central confluence of the peristomal wings. The somatic ciliation consists of uniform (holotrichous) longitudinal kineties. The genus Metafolliculina is distinguished from the similar Folliculina by its moniliform macronucleus (not well seen in this image). Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.
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Blepharisma, pink heterotrich ciliate. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho.
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Infraciliature (dorsal side) of the medium-size pigmented heterotrich ciliate, Blepharisma lateritium (Ehrenberg,1831; Stein, 1859). The cell is teardrop-shaped and pale pink in color. The peristome extends about 2/3 the cell length along the left side. The peristome is bordered on the left by serial polykinetids forming an adoral zone of membranelles and on the right by a narrow undulating membrane which is less conspicuous. The longitudinal somatic kineties bend to the left margin on the dorsal surface (seen here). The single ellipsoid to spherical macronucleus is located left of midline in the cell center. There are multiple very small micronuclei which are difficult to discern in vivo. These become swollen and densely stained in silver impregnated specimens (seen here at edge of macronucleus). Stained by silver carbonate techniique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27,313-330;1991). Collected from an artificial freshwater dredge pond near Boise, Idaho October 2004. Brightfield optics.
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Ventral view of the marine spirotrich ciliate, Condylostoma psammophilum (Bock,1952) showing slightly spiraling longitudinal somatic kineties.Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.March 2006.DIC.
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Folliculina has mounted its lorica upside down on the Hyponeuston, the aquatic area closely attached to the water surface. Obviously the water´s surface tension was more attractive than the petri dish or bunches of filamentous algae. Sample from a little creek near Kiel. This image was taken using Zeiss Universal with Olympus C7070 CCD camera.
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Folliculinid swarmer. Folliculinids are stunning spirotrich ciliates. The anterior part of the body is extended into two wings or arms, and the adoral zone of membranelles runs around the margins of these wings. They live in loricae which have a basal chamber and a longer neck. Folliculinids are contractile, extending out of the lorica when feeding and contracting into the lorica when stressed. Very often prettily coloured. When folliculinids divide, they produce a worm-like swarmer which does not have the developed arms. This is expressed from the lorica and swims or crawls around before finding somewhere to settle. Differential interference contrast.
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Condylostoma patens.
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Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Ribadelago, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Corporales, La Rioja, Spain
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Anigsteinia clarissima is a heterotrich ciliate found in the intertidal zone. Bright field. This ciliate was isolated from f Silver Beach, Qingdao (3555N, 12012E), China, on May 7, 2012. Image taken by Ying Yan.
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Galende, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Canencia, Madrid, Spain
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Alfaro, La Rioja, Espaa
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Mohedas de la Jara, Castille la Mancha, Spain
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Villoslada de Cameros, La Rioja, Espaa
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Vitoria, Basque Country, Spain
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Luanco, Asturias, Spain
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Portrait of the loricate marine heterotrich ciliate, Metafolliculina producta. Most folliculinid ciliates are found in marine habitats. Metafolliculina producta is greenish-blue in color. This large species resides in a lorica that has distinct annular ridges toward the fluted open end. The highly contractile cell withdraws instantly into the lorica when disturbed. The lorica is angulated but this feature is often not apparent due to compression by the coverslip. When fully protruded from the lorica the wing-like extensions of the peristomal area are evident. The cytostome lies at the central confluence of the peristomal wings. The somatic ciliation consists of uniform (holotrichous) longitudinal kineties. The genus Metafolliculina is distinguished from the similar Folliculina by its moniliform macronucleus. Several nodes of the longitudinally oriented moniliform macronucleus are seen here along the margin of the cell (viewer's left). Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.
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Infraciliature (ventral side) of the medium-size pigmented heterotrich ciliate, Blepharisma lateritium (Ehrenberg,1831; Stein, 1859). The cell is teardrop-shaped and pale pink in color. The peristome extends about 2/3 the cell length along the left side. The peristome is bordered on the left by serial polykinetids forming an adoral zone of membranelles and on the right by a narrow undulating membrane which is less conspicuous. The longitudinal somatic kineties bend to the left margin on the dorsal surface. The single ellipsoid to spherical macronucleus is located left of midline in the cell center. There are multiple very small micronuclei which are difficult to discern in vivo. These become swollen and densely stained in silver impregnated specimens (seen here). Stained by silver carbonate techniique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27,313-330;1991). Collected from an artificial freshwater dredge pond near Boise, Idaho October 2004. Brightfield optics.
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Ventral view of the marine spirotrich ciliate, Condylostoma psammophilum (Bock,1952).Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.March 2006.DIC.
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When ciliates with lorica undergo a binary fission, one of them converts to a swarmer. The image shows a Eufolliculina swarmer which is looking for a suitable place to build his chitinous lorica. Collected from Bodden, the brackish waters lying between the isles of Hiddensee and Ruegen (German Baltic Sea). This image was taken using Zeiss Universal with Olympus C7070 CCD camera.
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Folliculinid trophont. Folliculinids are stunning spirotrich ciliates. The anterior part of the body is extended into two wings or arms, and the adoral zone of membranelles runs around the margins of these wings. They live in loricae which have a basal chamber and a longer neck. Folliculinids are contractile, extending out of the lorica when feeding and contracting into the lorica when stressed. Very often prettily coloured. When folliculinids divide, they produce a worm-like swarmer which does not have the developed arms. This is expressed from the lorica and swims or crawls around before finding somewhere to settle. Differential interference contrast.