Tracheliidae

Trachelius (trach-eel-ee-us) is a predatory ciliate with a short projecting snout, and with the mouth located at the base of the snout. Cells usually look much slimmer than this cell which has recently had a meal. Cytoplasm very vacuolate. Phase contrast.

Portrait of Trachelius ovum, (EHRENBERG, 1831) EHRENBERG,1838 a haptorid ciliate with rounded body and short curved proboscis. Cytostome is located at the convexity at the base of the proboscis. Cytoplasm is extensively vacuolated. Coarsely granular bipartite macronucleus. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho.Oblique illumination.

Portrait of Trachelius ovum (EHRENBERG,1831) EHRENBERG,1838 , a haptorid ciliate with rounded body and short curved proboscis. Cytostome is located at the convexity at the base of the proboscis. Cytoplasm is extensively vacuolated. Coarsely granular bipartite macronucleus. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast.

Trachelius ovum (EHRENBERG,1831)EHRENBERG,1838.Dorsolateral view showing numerous scattered small contractile vacuoles,each with a solitary excretory pore.DIC.

Trachelius ovum (EHRENBERG,1831)EHRENBERG,1838.Left ventrolateral view showing the pellicular groove or fossa (yellow arrowhead). The function of this structure is unknown but some speculate that it may be a site of cell adherence to the substratum. The circular cytostome (red arrowhead) is located at the base of the anterior snout. The circumoral and perioral kineties (light blue arrowhead) encircle the cytostome and converge to parallel each other along the ventral surface of the snout terminating at its tip.Several of the numerous small contractile vacuoles, each with a solitary excretory pore are indicated by the green arrowheads.DIC.