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Infraciliature 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.There is a long caudal cilium in vivo (only its basal body is seen here at the posterior pole). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield
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Metacystis (met-ah-sis-tiss) lagenula has a transparent lorica which is formed like an Erlenmeyer flask. The oral aperture is equiped with long pectinelles. There is a conspicuous caudal cilium and the contractile vacuole can be seen in the posterior third of the cell. This specimen was collected in freshwater ponds near Konstanz, Germany. Differencial interference contrast.
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Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a loricate prostomatid ciliate. The body is elongate but quite contractile. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. There is usually a distinctive large clear protuberant posterior vacuole but this may be lacking (as in this case) leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The highly refractile material in the neck of the cell is an aggregate of cytoplasmic crystals. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape open at the anterior end with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahlâs species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The overlying cladocercan shell distorts the color in this image. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.
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In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. Phase contrast.
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Urozona buetschlii, a small dumb-bell -shaped hymenostome ciliate slightly constricted at the center. Somatic ciliation is restricted to an equatorial girdle. The oral aperture is located in the mid-body. Several very small adoral membranelles are present but not seen in these images. Single long caudal cilium. Posterior contractile vacuole. Single large spherical macronucleus in posterior half of body. Rapid swimmer. Bactiverous. Genus is monospecific. Urozona is somewhat similar in overall shape to Urocentrum turbo but much smaller and without a posterior ciliary tuft. Urozona is similar in size to Mesodinium but without anterior tentacular processes, bristles or furcate ciliary tufts. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.
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Infraciliature 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). Brightfield
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Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a prostomatid ciliate. This individual has fled its lorica and is swimming free. In the lorica the body is usually elongate but quite contractile. The free-swimming individuals are typically contracted. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. The distinctive large, clear, protuberant posterior vacuole is seen in this image but this may sometimes be lacking leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahlâs species description). Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.
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In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. DIC.
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Urozona buetschlii, a small dumb-bell -shaped hymenostome ciliate slightly constricted at the center. Somatic ciliation is restricted to an equatorial girdle. The oral aperture is located in the mid-body. Several very small adoral membranelles are present but not seen in these images. Single long caudal cilium. Posterior contractile vacuole. Single large spherical macronucleus in posterior half of body. Rapid swimmer. Bactiverous. Genus is monospecific. Urozona is somewhat similar in overall shape to Urocentrum turbo but much smaller and without a posterior ciliary tuft. Urozona is similar in size to Mesodinium but without anterior tentacular processes, bristles or furcate ciliary tufts. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.
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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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Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a loricate prostomatid ciliate. The body is elongate but as seen in this image quite contractile. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. There is usually a distinctive large clear protuberant posterior vacuole as seen here but this may be lacking in some individuals leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahlâs species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along the paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape open at the anterior end with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahlâs species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. Said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.
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In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. DIC.
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Urozona buetschlii, a small dumb-bell -shaped hymenostome ciliate. The equatorial girdle of cilia, the spherical posterior macronucleus, contractile vacuole and long single caudal cilium are well seen in this image. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.
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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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Anterior detail of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a prostomatid ciliate. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of long peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. The highly refractile material in the neck of the cell is an aggregate of cytoplasmic crystals. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahlâs species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The overlying cladocercan shell distorts the color in this image. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. ). Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.
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Entry being updated, back in operation soon
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Portrait of free-swimming Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869) that has vacated its lorica. Vasicola ciliata is a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (not seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. When swimming free the cell is more elongate. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetid kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell (seen in this image on the viewer's left). A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater sediment with strong smell of hydrogen sulfide near Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.
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Ventral view of Urozona buetschlii (Schewiakoff, 1889). Urozona buetschlii is a small dumbbell âshaped scuticociliate. The cell is slightly constricted at the center. Somatic ciliation is restricted to an equatorial girdle of 20-22 short longitudinal kineties. The basal bodies of these kineties align with one another, giving the visual impression of ciliary rows oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the cell (parateny). The oral aperture is located in the mid-body (just left of midline in this image). Two short, dense, transverse adoral membranelles are seen just anterior to the cytostome. A third membranelle is present only during stomatogenesis in dividing cells. The basal bodies of a sinuous paraoral membrane are seen immediately to the right of the cytostome. Posterior to and separate from the paraoral membrane is a small cluster of unciliated basal bodies representing a remnant of the buccokinetal stomatogenic field (the scutica or scuticovestige). A single, long posterior cilium inserts eccentrically on the dorsal surface. Posterior terminal contractile vacuole (not seen in this image). Single large spherical macronucleus with adjacent micronucleus in posterior half of body (seen in this stained specimen). Rapid swimmer intermittently coming to rest. Bactiverous. Genus is monospecific. Urozona is somewhat similar in overall shape to Urocentrum turbo but much smaller and without a posterior ciliary tuft. Urozona is similar in size to Mesodinium but without anterior tentacular processes, bristles or furcate ciliary tufts. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho, July 2004. This specimen is stained by the silver carbonate technique.(See Foissner, W.. Europ. J. Protistol., 27: 313-330, 1991). Brightfield. Black and white.
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Anterior apical view of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (not seen in this image). The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). . The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. When swimming free the cell is more elongate. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetid kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater sediment with strong smell of hydrogen sulfide near Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.
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Ventral view. Key to Schewiakoff's abbreviations: a--Anus b--Sensory bristle cv--Contractile vacuole ek--Ectoplasm N--Macronucleus ncl--Micronucleus nv--Food vacuole o--Mouth oe--Throat
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Portrait of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is not seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell. A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater pond sediment near Boise,Idaho;43°19'07.45"N 115°27'31.99"W, elev.4712 ft.;October2005. DIC optics.
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Portrait of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is not seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell. A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater pond sediment near Boise,Idaho;43°19'07.45"N 115°27'31.99"W, elev.4712 ft.;October2005. Phase contrast.
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