macronucleus

Description:

Homalozoon, a elongate-ribbon like predatory ciliate. The body is truncated (cut) off at the front end where the mouth is located, and pointed posteriorly. It has rows of cilia mostly on the ventral side, it glides over the substrate, sometimes contracting. Feeds on detritus and other protists. This image shows the macronucleus, which takes to form of a row of ellip[tical beads attached end-to-end. The micronuclei are small round dark structures adjacent to the macronucleus. Phase contrast micrograph.