Nassophorea

In vivo portrait of Nassula exigua (KAHL,1931). This small species has an aggregate of orange brown refractile droplets (possibly lipid) at the left anterior end toward the dorsum (seen here). The pharyngeal basket of nematodesmata is clearly seen here. Collected from an organically enriched alkaline ephemeral puddle with abundant filamentous cyanobateria near Boise, Idaho 43° 36' 49.63"N 116° 13' 23.31"W. August 2006. DIC.

Ventral infraciliature of Nassula exigua (KAHL,1931). There are only three small nassulid organelles extending to the left from beneath the cytostome. The right paraoral membrane is composed of inclined dikinetids.There is a single ventral contractile vacuole excretory pore. The cytopyge appears as a longitudinal linear structure just to the right of the first somatic kinety. Only one of the two micronuclei is visible here.Collected from an organically enriched alkaline ephemeral puddle with abundant filamentous cyanobateria near Boise, Idaho 43° 36' 49.63"N 116° 13' 23.31"W. August 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of Nassula exigua (KAHL,1931). There are only three small nassulid organelles extending to the left from beneath the cytostome. The right paraoral membrane is composed of inclined dikinetids.There is a single ventral contractile vacuole excretory pore. The cytopyge appears as a longitudinal linear structure just to the right of the first somatic kinety. Only one of the two micronuclei is visible here.Collected from an organically enriched alkaline ephemeral puddle with abundant filamentous cyanobateria near Boise, Idaho 43° 36' 49.63"N 116° 13' 23.31"W. August 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Macronucleus and micronuclei of Nassula exigua (KAHL,1931). The macronucleus and two micronuclei are visible here.Collected from an organically enriched alkaline ephemeral puddle with abundant filamentous cyanobateria near Boise, Idaho 43° 36' 49.63"N 116° 13' 23.31"W. August 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

The semicircular paraoral membrane (green arrow), anterior to the oral aperture, is composed of dikinetids oriented perpendicular to the long axis of the membrane. The posterior (left) basal body of each pair is unciliated.The single nassulid organelle (yellow arrow), located posterior to the oral aperture, is composed of seven groups of three kinetids.The single excretory pore of the contractile vacuole is indicated by the pink arrow. The cytopyge is indicated by the light blue arrow.  Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

High contrast DIC image showing slit-like oral aperture(yellow), thew cilia of the single postoral nassulid organelle (pink) and the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole (red).

Parafurgasonia sorex: (PENARD,1922) FOISSNER & ADAM, 1981. The green arrowhead indicates a kinetid of a dorsal somatic kinety. The yellow arrowhead indicates one of the darkly stained mucocysts which occur in longitudinal files between the somatic kineties.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Silverline system of the nassulid ciliate, Colpodidium caudatum (Wilbert,1982). The silverline system consists of an irregular meshwork between somatic kineties. Stained by the Klein-Foissner silver nitrate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the nassulid ciliate Colpodidium caudatum (WILBERT,1982). Collected from an organically enriched temporary freshwater puddle in Boise, Idaho (43° 36’ 49.03” N 116° 13’ 23.77”W elev. 2674 ft.), pH 9.35; water temperature 31.1 C. July 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.