portrait

Description:

Rhabdostyla (rad-doe-stile-a) are solitary peritrich ciliates with a very short noncontractile stalk. The body is mostly inverted bell-shaped. The peristome shows a definite lip. Some species of the genus live epizooic on freshwater invertebrates, particularly crustacea, insects and worms. This genus can be confused with Apiosoma which is restricted to being epizooic on vertebrates. Rhabdostyla inclinans is an epizooic species and this cell was attached by a short stalk to the bristle of a worm. Differential interference contrast.