portrait

Description:

Raphidiophrys (raff-fid-ee-off-riss) ambigua is a solitary species in this genus of centrohelid heliozoa. It forms three kinds of spindle shaped spicules that accumulate around the pseudopodia. The first form are spindle shaped and pointed at both ends, the second form are medium sized, broadly spindle shaped and rounded at the ends, and the final form are very small (5 - 6 mm long) and elliptically shaped. The spicules are embedded in a gelatinous envelope of the cell. Cytoplasm without symbiotic algae but often coloured greenish, brownish or yellowish by food vacuoles. Three closely arranged specimen of Raphidiophrys ambigua, possibly shortly after cell division. Note the yellow brownish food vacuoles that are characteristic of this species. From a pond near Konstanz, Germany.Differential interference contrast.