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Portrait of the marine heterotrich ciliate, Condylostoma arenarium (Spiegel, 1926). The dorsoventrally flattened elongate cell body is very contractile. Contraction is probably mediated by calcium dependent subcortical myonemes and cell extension by interaction of cortical postciliary microtubular ribbons. The broad anterior V-shaped peristome is bordered on the right by a large undulating membrane. An adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) winds from right anterior clockwise around the left margin of the peristome. Strips of yellowish cortical granules or pigmentocysts separate uniform longitudinal somatic kineties. Pigmentocysts are extrusomes containing toxic substances. They play a role in cell defense against predators and may also function in photoreception. Pigmentocysts are found in other heterotrichs (e.g. Blepharisma and Stentor species). Several cirri are located at the right-most end of the AZM. The long moniliform macronucleus extends along the right cell margin (faintly visible here). No contractile vacuole. Brownish food vacuoles throughout the cytoplasm in this individual contain ingested dinoflagellates (Amphidinium). Collected from a seawater aquarium in Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.
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Portrait of the planktonic protstomatid ciliate, Apsiktrata gracilis (Penard,1922)Foissner, Berger & Kohmann 1994. Morphologically quite similar to members of the genus Holophrya but lacking a "dorsal brush". The anterior apical cytostome and its circumoral dikinetids is seen here.The microfibrillar system associted with the basal bodies of the somatic kineties is visible here. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.
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Histriculus (his-trick-you-lus) is a hypotrich ciliate with cirri forming a row all around the margin and including across the back of the cell. Cell not flexible, by which it is distinguished from the very similar Oxytricha, also not with three long caudal cirri, by which it is distinguished from Stylonychia. With adoral zone of membranelles. Phase contrast.
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Enchelys (ench-el-is) -cylindrical predatory ciliate, body fairly flexible, mouth slit zone at anterior end, underlain by a number of extrusomes. The cell has just eaten a dinoflagellate. Differential interference contrast.
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Chlamydodon (clam-ee-doe-don), alga-eating hypostome like many other hypostome ciliates, eats filamentous bacteria - such as filamentous blue green algae. They make contact with the filament, move along up and down until they find an end. They then tip over, pushing the end of the filament into the mouth - a cylindrical structure supported by a palisade of microtubular rods . They then start to suck the filament into the cell. As it hits the posterior margin, the cell is deformed by the stiff filament. The food is stunningly quickly degraded and begins to break and fold so that the cell can pull in a filament very much longer than itself. Yum. Phase contrast.
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Ventral view of the infraciliature of Metopus palaeformis (Kahl,1927) contracted by fixation and compressed to display details.Synonyms probably include Tesnospira alba (Jankowski,1964),M. hyalinus (Kahl,19270 and M. tenuis (Kahl,1927) among others.Morphology is highly variable probably explaining the large number of synonyms. The cell is flask-shaped (as in this example)to elongate .The anterior end is twisted to the left resulting in a rounded lip that overhangs the peristome.The spiral peristome is bordered on the left by an adoral zone of membranelles (arrow) and on the right by five closely spaced kineties,the "perizonal stripe" (large arrowhead).Just to the right of the posterior termination of the AZM is a short, inconspicuous undulating membrane(small arrowhead).The cytoplasm contains endosymbiotic methanogenic bacilli (not seen here).Collected from the bottom sediments of an organically enriched rain pool with abundant decaying grass contaminated by Canada goose (Branta canadensis) droppings.Boise, Idaho. January 2006.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.
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Image by Li et al., 2010. Acta Protozoologica, 49: 195-212.
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Portrait of Loxodes. Karyolectid ciliate. Laterally compressed. Slit-like curved cytostome just posterior to hooked "rostrum". Right surface is densely ciliated while left side has only marginal kineties. Numerous Müller's vesicles with refractile inclusions are seen at intervals along the dorsal margin. The function of these is unknown. They contain concretions of barium salts. Body flexible. Several freshwater species. From standing freshwater with abundant decomposing leaves near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.
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Euplotes (you-ploe-tees) is a hypotrich ciliate. There is an adoral zone of membranelles leading from the front of the cell to the mouth (where food vacuoles are formed) on the ventral side of the body. Membranelles are paddles formed by clusters of cilia which adhere to each other (at this size, water is viscous and acts like a glue holding cilia together). Hypotrichs use clumps of cilia called cirri to move. The two images (of the same cell) are taken at slightly different focal levels. Phase contrast microscopy.
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Cortical detail of the marine heterotrich ciliate, Condylostoma arenarium (Spiegel, 1926). The dorsoventrally flattened elongate cell body is very contractile. Contraction is probably mediated by calcium dependent subcortical myonemes and cell extension by interaction of cortical postciliary microtubular ribbons. The broad anterior V-shaped peristome is bordered on the right by a large undulating membrane. An adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) winds from right anterior clockwise around the left margin of the peristome (not visible in this image). Strips of yellowish cortical granules or pigmentocysts separate uniform longitudinal somatic kineties. Pigmentocysts are extrusomes containing toxic substances. They play a role in cell defense against predators and may also function in photoreception. Pigmentocysts are found in other heterotrichs (e.g. Blepharisma and Stentor species). Several cirri are located at the right-most end of the AZM. The long moniliform macronucleus extends along the right cell margin (not visible in this image). No contractile vacuole. Brownish food vacuoles throughout the cytoplasm in this individual contain ingested dinoflagellates (Amphidinium). Collected from a seawater aquarium in Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.
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Portrait of the planktonic protstomatid ciliate, Apsiktrata gracilis (Penard,1922)Foissner, Berger & Kohmann 1994. Morphologically quite similar to members of the genus Holophrya but lacking a "dorsal brush". The anterior apical cytostome and its circumoral dikinetids is seen here.The microfibrillar system associted with the basal bodies of the somatic kineties is visible here. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). DIC.
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Histriculus (his-trick-you-lus) is a hypotrich ciliate with cirri forming a row all around the margin and including across the back of the cell. Cell not flexible, by which it can be distinguished from the very similar Oxytricha, also not with three long caudal cirri, by which it is distinguished from Stylonychia. With adoral zone of membranelles. Phase contrast.
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Enchelys (en-chill-iss) small predatory ciliate, here two cells are linked in conjugation (during which time DNA is exchanged - it+s a kind of sexual activity but without reproduction). Clear vacuoles at the rear are contractile vacuoles. Phase contrast micrograph.
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Ventral view of the infraciliature of Metopus palaeformis (Kahl, 1927) contracted by fixation and compressed to display details...Synonyms probably include Tesnospira alba (Jankowski,1964),M. hyalinus (Kahl,19270 and M. tenuis (Kahl,1927) among others.Morphology is highly variable probably explaining the large number of synonyms. The cell is flask-shaped (as in this example) to elongate .The anterior end is twisted to the left resulting in a rounded lip that overhangs the peristome.The spiral peristome is bordered on the left by an adoral zone of membranelles (large arrowhead) and on the right by five closely spaced kineties,the "perizonal stripe" (small arrowhead).Just to the right of the posterior termination of the AZM is a short, inconspicuous undulating membrane(black arrow).The cytoplasm contains endosymbiotic methanogenic bacilli (not seen here).Collected from the bottom sediments of an organically enriched rain pool with abundant decaying grass contaminated by Canada goose (Branta canadensis) droppings.Boise, Idaho. January 2006.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.
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Portrait (right side) of Loxodes magnus, the largest species in the karyorelict ciliate genus, Loxodes. This individual is 755? long. Loxodes magnus is brown to orange. The cell body is elongate, rounded anteriorly and posteriorly and highly laterally compressed. The anterior is bent ventrally forming a short beak-like rostrum. Very flexible. Somatic ciliature on the left side is restricted to a marginal kinety. On the right surface there are regular longitudinal kineties. The slit shaped cytostome is located in a ventral concavity posterior to the rostrum (seen here). A thin cone of dark fibrils forms a primitive cytopharynx at the posterior end of the cytostome (seen here). There are from 3- 31 small macronuclei and a similar number of micronuclei scattered through the cell. Refractile concretions of barium sulfate occupy several Müller's vesicles on the dorsal side. These probably act as statoreceptors, orienting the organism in the gravitational field. There are also subcortical pigment granules, which may have chemo- and phototactic functions. L. magnus lacks contractile vacuoles. Found in polysaprobic habitats. Feeds on cyanobacteria, algae, flagellates and other ciliates. From organically enriched freshwater pond sediment near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast.
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Euplotes, common hypotrich ciliate. There is an adoral zone of membranelles extending around the front of the cell and this is used to acquire bacteria and small protists as food. Euplotes uses cirri - collections of cilia - to walk over the substrate. From Lake Donghu, China. Phase contrast micrograph.
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Pelagovasicola (pee-ladge-o-vee-sick-o-la) cinctum is a very fast swimming obovoid ciliate measuring 50 - 180 X 40 - 85 microns. It is common in plankton of lakes and ponds. The body is surrounded by 5-7 distinct ciliary girdles. The posterior fifth of the cell is unciliated. The contractile vacuole lies in the posterior end and has about 20 radial collecting channels. The macronucleus is kidney-shaped and lies in the mid-body. Extrusomes are arranged in the margin of the oral dome, occasionally extruded as bundles of fine filaments. This free-swimming specimen was collected in the plankton of a bog pond near Konstanz, Germany. 115 X 92 microns. Differential interference contrast.