in vivo; left side

Description:

Left side of Dexiotrichides centralis (STOKES, 1886), a sapropelic scuticociliate. D. centralis is the only freshwater species of this genus. The cell is reniform and laterally compressed. The relatively large cytostome is located in the center of the body. There are three adoral membranelles. There is an undulating membrane on the right margin of the cytostome. The somatic kineties are longitudinal. On the right surface (not seen in this image) there is an oblique row of longer cilia slanting posteriorly from the cytostome. There is a long caudal cilium (seen here). The contractile vacuole is terminal. The spherical macronucleus is found in the anterior half. D. centralis is a facultative anaerobe. Easily confused with members of the similar genus, Dexiotricha. Collected from the bottom material in a freshwater aquaculture tub near Boise, Idaho in October 2003.DIC Song et al have described a marine species, Dexiotrichides pangi [Song et al . Dexiotrichides pangi n. sp. (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia), a New Marine Ciliate from the North China Sea. J.Eukaryot. Microbiol., 50(2), pp. 114-122,2003.]