portrait

Description:

Portrait of polysaprobic heterotrich ciliate Caenomorpha sapropelica (Kahl, 1927). The rigid pellicle is colorless. The anterior is bluntly cone shaped and the posterior is drawn out as a long spine. Aggregate of dense brown granules anteriorly. Somatic ciliature is reduced to a single file of thigmotactic cirri on the left side of the anterior dome. The peristome spirals around the body terminating posteriorly at the cytostome.A perizonal stripe of cilia borders the peristome anteriorly. There is an adoral zone of membranelles on the posterior margin of the peristome. Posterior contractile vacuole. Multiple macronuclei are not seen in these images. From standing freshwater pond with decaying leaves near Boise, Idaho. Oblique illumination.