Chilodonellidae

Dorsal brush (DB) of the chillodonellid ciliate, Trithigmostoma cucullulus (Mueller, 1786) Jankowski, 1967. Collected from a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho.October 2007.Stained by the protargol A protocol (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Detail of the ventral infraciliature of the chillodonellid ciliate, Trithigmostoma cucullulus (Mueller, 1786) Jankowski, 1967. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the chillodonellid ciliate, Trithigmostoma cucullulus (Mueller, 1786) Jankowski, 1967.Collected from a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise,Idaho,October 2007. Stained by the protargol A protocol (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Chilodon cucullulus.

Originally described by Ehrenberg under the name Chilodon cucullulus.

The anterior is to the tiop of the image, an ingestion apparatus lies near the middle of the anterior margin. Phase contrast micrograph.

Ventral view of the Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is probably monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow (seen in this image) that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left. There is one transverse file of cilia on the dorsal surface (i.e. the “dorsal brush”). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata. The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior ½. There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Dorsal view of the Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is probably monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left. There is one transverse file of cilia 9seeen well in this image) on the dorsal surface (i.e. the “dorsal brush”). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata. The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior ½. There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Right lateral view of the Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left. There is one transverse file of cilia on the dorsal surface (i.e. the “dorsal brush”). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata 9seen well in this image). The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior ½ (seen well here). There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it (only the anterior CV is seen here). Food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Portrait of the Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is probably monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left. There is one transverse file of cilia on the dorsal surface (i.e. the “dorsal brush”). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata. The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior ½. There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Portrait of the Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is probably monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left. There is one transverse file of cilia on the dorsal surface (i.e. the “dorsal brush”). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata. The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior ½. There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it. The excretory pores of each contractile vacuole can be seen in this image. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Ventral view of compressed Phyllopharyngeid ciliate, Phascolodon vorticella (Stein, 1859). The genus is probably monotypic. P. vorticella is easily recognized by its distinctive horse-saddle shape. The cell is dorsoventrally compressed with a deep ventral furrow that bears 5-6 kineties on the right and 8-10 kineties on the left (seen well in this image). The right kineties curve around the flared anterior end. There is one transverse file of cilia on the dorsal surface (i.e. the dorsal brush). The posterior tapers to a blunt point. At the anterior end of the ventral furrow is a slit-like cytostome with a prominent dorsally directed cytopharyngeal basket of nematodesmata. The coarsely granular macronucleus is located in the posterior 1/2. There are two contractile vacuoles, one on the right anterior side of the ventral furrow and the other on the left posterior side of it. P. vorticella is planktonic and feeds mainly on algae and cyanobacteria. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho December 2004. DIC optics.

Ventral infraciliature of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859).The pink arrowhead marks the nearly horizontal preoral kinety.The red and green arrowheads mark the right and left ventral somatic kineties respectively.The blue arrowhead marks the oral aperture which is supported by large nematodesmata.The light blue arrowhead marks an ingested centric diatom.Collected from the margin of a slow-flowing freshwater stream in Boise,Idaho.March 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Lateral view of infraciliature of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859).The yellow arrowhead marks the cytostome with extruded nematodesmata (artifact of fixation and silver impregnation).The red arrowhead marks the right somatic kineties.The green arrowhead marks the right end of the dorsal brush.The light blue arrowhead marks an ingested centric diatom.Collected from the margin of a slow-flowing freshwater stream in Boise,Idaho.March 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Dorsal view of infraciliature of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859).The red arrowheads mark the five right somatic kineties as they curve around the "collar to abut the preoral kinety on the ventral surface.The green arrowheads mark the dorsal brush.Collected from the margin of a slow-flowing freshwater stream in Boise,Idaho.March 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Anterodorsal view of infraciliature of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859). The cell has ruptured during fixation and silver impregnation. The blue arrowhead marks the densely staining nemartodesmata of the cytopharyngeal basket. The pink and red arrowheads mark the long and short circumoral kineties respectively. The yellow arrowhead marks the preoral kinety. the red asterisk marks a break in two of the righ somatic kineties due to preparation artifact. the green arrow head marks the dorsal brush and the light blue arrowheads mark ingested diatoms.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859). The red arrowheads mark right somatic kineties which curve dorsally around the "collar" to terminate near the preoral kinety on the left ventral surface (red arrowhead to viewer's right). The green arrowhead marks the left somatic kineties. The pink arrowhead marks the preoral kinety. The light blue arrowhead marks the oral aperture. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Ventrolateral view of Phascolodon vorticella (STEIN,1859) in vivo. The cell is moderately compressed. The yellow arrowheads mark the excretory pores of the two contractile vacuoles. The pink arrowhead marks the nematodesmata of the cytopharyngeal basket. DIC.

Chilodonella (kai-low-don-ella) is a hypostome ciliate with a mouth stiffened by a palisade of microtubular rods protruding from the ventral surface of the cell. The mouth is used to pick up bacteria and small pieces of detritus and manipulate them into the body. Common in freshwater and marine habitats. Differential Interference Contrast.

Chilodonella (kai-low-don-ella) is a hypostome ciliate with a mouth stiffened by a palisade of microtubular rods protruding from the ventral surface of the cell. The mouth is used to pick up bacteria and small pieces of detritus and manipulate them into the body. In focus on the surface of the cell to show cilia and the opening of the ingestion apparatus. Common in freshwater and marine habitats. Differential Interference contrast.

Chilodonella (kai-low-don-ella) is a hypostome ciliate with a mouth stiffened by a palisade of microtubular rods protruding from the ventral surface of the cell. The mouth is used to pick up bacteria and small pieces of detritus and manipulate them into the body. The support rods for the mouth can be seen narrowing and forming a curving channel as they pass towards the posterior. The granular structure towards the back of the cell is the macronucleus, with the micronucleus at five o clock. Common in freshwater and marine habitats. Differential Interference contrast.

Chilodonella (kai-low-don-ella) is a hypostome ciliate with a mouth stiffened by a palisade of microtubular rods protruding from the ventral surface of the cell. The mouth is used to pick up bacteria and small pieces of detritus and manipulate them into the body. Detail of the mouth to show the rods (nemadesmata). Common in freshwater and marine habitats. Differential Interference Contrast