portrait

Description:

Chilomonas, a colourless (but lecuoplastidic) cryptomonad. The body shape of most cryptomonads is similar, rounded or pointed posteriorly, perhaps with a very slight twist, widest just subapically. There are two flagella which insert into a subapical pocket. The pocket is lined with explosive extrusomes (the type in cryptomonads is called ejectisome), and small extrusomes also lie under the body surface. Body often with abundant polysaccharide materials. This species can form vast numbers - usually in organically enriched low oxygen conditions. Differential interference contrast.