Euplotida

Frontal view of the marine hypotrich ciliate, Gastrocirrhus monilifer (Ozaki et Yagiu, 1942).The cell body is broadly cup-shaped, transversely truncate anteriorly and rounded posteriorly. The broad, funnel-shaped peristome opens anteriorly.The peristome is bordered on the left by a prominent adoral zone of membranelles. There are strongly developed frontoventral and transverse cirri, the latter in a U-shaped distribution posterior to the cytostome. The frontoventral cirri lie to the right of the peristome. There are no caudal cirri.There are a few dorsal kineties with short inconspicuous cilia. The macronucleus is moniliform. Cells are brownish-yellow in color. G. monilifer crawls along the substrate on its cirri as seen in this image. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.

Detail dorsal view of moniliform macronucleus of the marine hyptorich ciliate, Gastrocirrhus monilifer (Ozaki et Yagiu, 1942). The very similar G. stentoreus has a band-shaped macronucleus.Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.

Portrait (ventral view) of the marine hypotrich ciliate, Aspidisca leptaspis (Fresenius, 1865).  The cell outline is broadly oval and strongly dorsoventrally flattened. The pellicle is rigid and transparent. There are 2 left-anterolateral and several smaller posterior spines. The posterior spines vary from very small to quite prominent. In this individual they are not discernable. There are seven large and one small frontoventral (FV) cirri (including one buccal cirrus). There are five transverse cirri. The left-most transverse cirrus may be subdivided into several small bundles.  There is a small left anterolateral “adoral” zone of membranelles (AZM1), which is actually separate from the peristome. The more prominent adoral zone of membranelles (AZM2) borders the large obliquely situated left posterior peristome. There are longitudinal rows short dorsal cilia on subtle dorsal ridges. The macronucleus is horseshoe-shaped. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2003. DIC optics. 

Feulgen stained fixed cell, the stain colours the nuclei purple. The large curving structure is the macronucleus, and a small round micronucleus is located upper left.

Uronychia is a hypotrich ciliate. As such it has an adoral zone of membranelles for feeding, and these extend around the anterior end of the cell. Like other hypotrichs, motile cilia are clustered into cirri on the ventral surface. Those of Diophrys are very strongly developed. Phase contrast.

Marine species, very well developed cirri. Phase contrast micrograph of living cell.

The hypotrich ciliate Uronychia isolated from Little Sippewisset Pond, Woods Hole, MA, USA. Image by Andrew Schurko.

Portrait of the marine hypotrich ciliate, Uronychia transfuga (Müller,1786). Cell outline is ovoid with a colorless rigid pellicle.The broad peristome (not well seen here) is bordered on the left by an adoral zone of membranelles. There are three posterior concavities. Three massive caudal cirri arise from the rightmost concavity. Five transverse cirri arise from the central concavity and three marginal cirri arise from the left concavity (two large and one small). The moniliform macronucleus is arranged in a C-shape.Slow swimming is interrupted by sudden jumping movement. several colorful food vacuoles are visible here. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC .

Ventral surface of the hypotricvh ciliate, Uronychia. Isolated from sandy samples taken from Sippiwissett marsh.

A species of the marine hypotrich genus, Diophrys (DUJARDIN,1840). The genus contains many species. Collected from a commercial marine aquarium in Boise, Idaho. DIC.

A species of the marine hypotrich genus, Diophrys (DUJARDIN,1840). The genus contains many species. Collected from a commercial marine aquarium in Boise, Idaho. DIC.

A species of the marine hypotrich genus, Diophrys (DUJARDIN,1840). The genus contains many species. Collected from a commercial marine aquarium in Boise, Idaho. DIC.

A species of the marine hypotrich genus, Diophrys (DUJARDIN,1840). The genus contains many species. Collected from a commercial marine aquarium in Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast.

Aspidisca (as-pid-isk-a) is a hypotrich ciliate, and identifiable as a hypotrich because it uses clumps of cilia (cirri) on the ventral surface to walk over the substrate. Hypotrichs are part of the polyhymenophora, and usually feed using an extensive adoral zone of membranelles which extends from the front of the cell to a mouth in the posterior ventral part of the cell. However, in Aspidisca, the AZM has been greatly reduced and forms a kind of scrubbing brush on the ventral surface . Differential interference contrast.

Aspidisca (as-pid-isk-a) is a hypotrich ciliate, and identifiable as a hypotrich because it uses clumps of cilia (cirri) on the ventral surface to walk over the substrate. Hypotrichs are part of the polyhymenophora, and usually feed using an extensive adoral zone of membranelles which extends from the front of the cell to a mouth in the posterior ventral part of the cell. However, in Aspidisca, the AZM has been greatly reduced and forms a kind of scrubbing brush on the ventral surface - and visible at 4 o clock on the right margin of the cell. Phase contrast

Aspidisca, small atypical hypotrich, seen here from ventral surface. With a few ventral cirri and adoral zone of membranelles, on the right, reduced to a small brush. Differential interference contrast.

Aspidisca, a common, small hypotrich ciliate genus with many species. The cell body is rigid, colorless and dorsoventrally flattened sometimes with peripheral or dorsal spinous projections. The dorsum may be longitudinally ribbed (e.g. A. cicada). Marginal and caudal cirri are absent and ventral cirri prominent (frontoventral and transverse groups). The oral aperture is faintly visible on the organism's left posterior margin in this image (we are looking at it from the ventral side). The adoral zone of membranelles is divided into a small part at the anterior left side and a larger part around the peristome, neither is well seen in this image. Macronucleus is bipartite in some species but more usually "C" or horseshoe shaped. Usually small but one species, A. magna may exceed 150 microns in length. Probably polyphagous but mainly feeds on bacteria. From standing freshwater near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast.

Aspidisca is a small, atypical hypotrich ciliate with cilia clustered together to form little 'legs'. A small group of cilia, used for feeding, is near the back (lower right of the image) of the cell.

This image of Aspidisca was taken from an anaerobic marine sediment sample incubated under laboratory conditions.

Differential Interference Contrast image showing the cirri and the mouthparts.

A hypotrich ciliate isolated after Uhlig extraction of sandy sediments from Little Sippiwissett salt marsh. Micrograph taken by Jeffrey Cole.

Ventral view of Aspidisca cicada (MUELLER,1786) CLAPARÈDE&LACHMANN,1858.DIC.

Ventral infraciliature of Aspidisca cicada (MUELLER,1786) CLAPARÈDE&LACHMANN,1858. Protargol protocol A. (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.