Stichotrichia

Portrait of Halteria grandinella (Mueller,1773) Dujardin, 1841, a ubiquitous small spirotrich ciliate. The body is globular with a prominent anterior wreath of membranelles. Long stiff cirri are seen around the equator. These are used for sudden jumping (saltatorial) movements. The wreath of adoral membranelles projects anteriorly in this image. A peripheral contractile vacuole is seen in this image. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Anterior apical view of Halteria grandinella (Mueller,1773) Dujardin, 1841, a ubiquitous small spirotrich ciliate. The body is globular with a prominent anterior wreath of membranelles. There are long stiff cirri around the equator. These are used for sudden jumping (saltatorial) movements. The wreath of adoral membranelles (short arrow) are seen in this image. The inner adoral membranelles (long arrow) are also seen.A peripheral contractile vacuole is seen in this image. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.

Oral infraciliature ( left lateral view) of Halteria grandinella (Mueller,1773) Dujardin, 1841.There is an inconspicuous undulating membrane to the right of the buccal cavity (light blue arrowhead). The adoral membranelles (AZM) are separated into approximately 5 to10 inner (buccal) membranelles (pink arrowhead) and a collar of 16 outer membranelles, each composed of two longer kineties and one shorter kinety (green arrowheads). The AZM is of the "open" type.These run clockwise to the cytostome unlike the peritrich ciliates in which the adoral ciliary spiral runs counterclockwise to the cytostome. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Detail view of one ciliary row of jumping bristles in Halteria grandinella (Mueller,1773) Dujardin, 1841. there are approximately 7-10 rows of these bristles around the equator. Each row has about 6 pairs of basal bodies (arrowheads) in this species, two anterior pairs only the anterior basal body of each of these pairs being ciliated (as seen in this image). The four posterior pairs occur in two groups each bearing two bristles. The anterior of these tetrads has lost it's bristles in preparation. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield

In the buccal cavity a row of paroral cilia (pak) is seen to separate the buccal cavity (bc) from the beginning of the cytopharynx (cp). The macronucleus (mac) and micronucleus (mic) are visible. spo, spongiome of CV; pek, membranelles of perioral ciliature; opk, oral cilia; mt, microtubules bordering the ventral wall of the BC. EM taken on 3/12/71 by R. Allen with Hitachi HU11A TEM. Neg. 3,800X. Bar = 2 microns. This image is available in Richard Allen's collection.  

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Oxytricha pullaster.

Ventral infraciliature of Anteholosticha monilata (KAHL, 1928)Berger2003. Collected from a freshwater irrigation canal. Boise,Idaho. December 2007.Protargol (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Oxytricha gibba,

Dorsal view of Halteria oblonga (Kellicott, 1885;Kahl,1932), a spirotrich ciliate. The body is slightly elongate, rounded posteriorly and truncate anteriorly. There is a prominent anterior wreath of adoral membranelles that winds clockwise into the funnel-shaped peristome (seen in this image). The somatic ciliature is reduced to widely spaced longitudinal files of stout double cilia. The posterior cilia are longer with a characteristic J-shape. These trail behind the organism during swimming, which is accomplished by the rapid beating of the AZM. The single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the anterior 1/3 adjacent to the oral aperture. The single spheroid granular macronucleus and single round micronucleus are seen posterior to the contractile vacuole. Although Kahl (I. Wimpertiere oder Ciliata. 3. Spirotricha pp. 505-506, Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1932) describes endosymbiotic zoochlorellae, at least some of the algae in these individuals appear to have been ingested. Collected from organically enriched freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho June 2003. DIC optics. 

Ventral view of Halteria oblonga (Kellicott, 1885;Kahl,1932), a spirotrich ciliate. The body is slightly elongate, rounded posteriorly and truncate anteriorly. There is a prominent anterior wreath of adoral membranelles that winds clockwise into the funnel-shaped peristome (seen in this image). The somatic ciliature is reduced to widely spaced longitudinal files of stout double cilia. The posterior cilia are longer with a characteristic J-shape. These trail behind the organism during swimming, which is accomplished by the rapid beating of the AZM. The single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the anterior 1/3 adjacent to the oral aperture. The single spheroid granular macronucleus and single round micronucleus are seen posterior to the contractile vacuole. Although Kahl (I. Wimpertiere oder Ciliata. 3. Spirotricha pp. 505-506, Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1932) describes endosymbiotic zoochlorellae, at least some of the algae in these individuals appear to have been ingested. Collected from organically enriched freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho June 2003. DIC optics. 

Portrait of Halteria oblonga (Kellicott, 1885;Kahl,1932), a spirotrich ciliate. The body is slightly elongate, rounded posteriorly and truncate anteriorly. There is a prominent anterior wreath of adoral membranelles that winds clockwise into the funnel-shaped peristome (seen in this image). The somatic ciliature is reduced to widely spaced longitudinal files of stout double cilia (seen well in this image). The posterior cilia are longer with a characteristic J-shape. These trail behind the organism during swimming, which is accomplished by the rapid beating of the AZM. The single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the anterior 1/3 adjacent to the oral aperture. The single spheroid granular macronucleus and single round micronucleus are seen posterior to the contractile vacuole. Although Kahl (I. Wimpertiere oder Ciliata. 3. Spirotricha pp. 505-506, Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1932) describes endosymbiotic zoochlorellae, at least some of the algae in these individuals appear to have been ingested. Collected from organically enriched freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho June 2003. DIC optics. 

Portrait of Halteria oblonga (Kellicott, 1885; Kahl,1932), a spirotrich ciliate. The body is slightly elongate, rounded posteriorly and truncate anteriorly. There is a prominent anterior wreath of adoral membranelles that winds clockwise into the funnel-shaped peristome (seen in this image). The somatic ciliature is reduced to widely spaced longitudinal files of stout double cilia. The posterior cilia are longer with a characteristic J-shape. These trail behind the organism during swimming, which is accomplished by the rapid beating of the AZM. The single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the anterior 1/3 adjacent to the oral aperture. The single spheroid granular macronucleus and single round micronucleus are seen posterior to the contractile vacuole. Although Kahl (I. Wimpertiere oder Ciliata. 3. Spirotricha pp. 505-506, Gustav Fischer Verlag, 1932) describes endosymbiotic zoochlorellae, at least some of the algae in these individuals appear to have been ingested. Collected from organically enriched freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho June 2003. DIC optics. 

Portrait of the stichotrichine ciliate, Chaetospira remex (Hudson,1875; Kahl,1932). This species occupies a long, sometimes branched tubular lorica into which it intermittently retracts (as seen in this image). The lorica is attached to the substratum. C. muelleri has a flask-shaped lorica. The cell body is slender,elongate and very contractile. The corkscrew shaped anterior bears a prominent adoral zone of membranelles along the peristome. The somatic ciliature is reduced to right and left marginal and two ventral files of short cirri which spiral down the body. The macronucleus is bipartite. the contractile vacuole is in mid-body between the two macronuclei. Feeds mainly on bacteria, flagellates and diatoms. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idah May 2004. DIC optics.

Portrait of the stichotrichine ciliate, Chaetospira remex (Hudson,1875; Kahl,1932). Slightly squashed. This species occupies a long, sometimes branched tubular lorica into which it intermittently retracts. The lorica is attached to the substratum. C. muelleri has a flask-shaped lorica. The cell body is slender,elongate and very contractile. The corkscrew shaped anterior bears a prominent adoral zone of membranelles along the peristome (seen well here). The somatic ciliature is reduced to right and left marginal and two ventral files of short cirri which spiral down the body. The left marginal and one of the ventral cirral files are seen here.The macronucleus is bipartite (not visible in this image). the contractile vacuole is in mid-body between the two macronuclei. Feeds mainly on bacteria, flagellates and diatoms. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idah May 2004. DIC optics.

The stichotrichine ciliate, Chaetospira remex (Hudson,1875; Kahl,1932) stained with methyl green-pyronin to demonstrate the bipartite macronucleus. The animal is completely withdrawn into the tubular lorica. The two round macronuclei are stained green. The micronucleus is not seen in this image. The illustration in Kahl's compendium incorrectly depicts C. remex with a single macronucleus (Kahl,A.; Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile. Teil 25 [Urtiere oder Protozoa I: Wimpertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria) 3. Spirotricha. Germany:Verlag von Gustav Fischer. 1932, p. 542).Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise Idaho May 2004. Brightfield illumination with closed condenser.

Ciliate. Cell observed in sandy and muddy marine sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using phase contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Ciliate. Cell observed in sandy and muddy marine sediments in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using differential interference contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Oxytricha rubra.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Oxytricha rubra.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Oxytricha rubra.

Ventral infraciliature of the marine urostylid ciliate, Pseudokeronopsis carnea (Cohn, 1866) Wirnsberger, Larsen & Uhlig, 1987. Collected from a salt water aquarium on the campus of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. April 2009. Protargol. Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the marine urostylid ciliate, Pseudokeronopsis carnea (Cohn, 1866) Wirnsberger, Larsen & Uhlig, 1987. Collected from a salt water aquarium on the campus of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. April 2009. Protargol. Brightfield.

Pigmentocysts (dorsal view) of the marine urostylid ciliate, Pseudokeronopsis carnea (Cohn, 1866) Wirnsberger, Larsen & Uhlig, 1987 clustered around bases of dorsal bristles. Paler, more numerous pigment vacuoles are also visible. Collected from a salt water aquarium on the campus of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. April 2009. DIC.

In vivo view (right ventrolateral surface) of the marine urostylid ciliate, Pseudokeronopsis carnea(Cohn, 1866) Wirnsberger, Larsen & Uhlig, 1987. Collected from a salt water aquarium on the campus of Boise State University, Boise, Idaho. April 2009. DIC.