Nassophorea

Ventral infraciliature of Pseudomicrothorax dubius (Mermod,1914) Penard,1922.Protargol A (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Portrait (right side) of the microthoracid ciliate Drepanomonas dentata Fresenius, 1858. The cell is crescentic in outline. The anterior and posterior ends are sharply pointed. The rigid pellicle is colorless and strongly laterally compressed. The inconspicuous cytostome is located at the midportion of the ventral surface. There is a short tooth-like projection adjacent to the cytostome. Somatic ciliature is reduced especially along the ventral surface. There are somatic kineties along the entire dorsal margin. The macronucleus is centrally located. There are two contractile vacuoles just posterior to the cytopharynx. Collected from sapropelic bottom sediments of a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.

Portrait (left side) of the microthoracid ciliate Drepanomonas dentata Fresenius, 1858. The cell is crescentic in outline. The anterior and posterior ends are sharply pointed. The rigid pellicle is colorless and strongly laterally compressed. The inconspicuous cytostome is located at the midportion of the ventral surface. There is a short tooth-like projection adjacent to the cytostome. Somatic ciliature is reduced especially along the ventral surface. There are somatic kineties along the entire dorsal margin. The macronucleus is centrally located. There are two contractile vacuoles just posterior to the cytopharynx. Collected from sapropelic bottom sediments of a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.

Zosterodasys transversa (Kahl,1928) Foissner,1994. (previously known as Chilodontopsis vorax), a large nassulid ciliate. Z. transversa is elongate and dorsoventrally flattened. Both dorsal and ventral surfaces bear uniform longitudinal rows of somatic cilia. A distinctive synhymenion or hypostomial frange runs obliquely posterior to the cytostome around half the cell circumference. Unlike the similar Synhymenia there is no preoral suture. The cytoplasm is highly vacuolated. There are multiple contractile vacuoles. The macronucleus is ovoid. There is a very prominent anterior cytopharyngeal basket composed of stout nematodesmata. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.

Zosterodasys transversa (Kahl,1928) Foissner,1994. (previously known as Chilodontopsis vorax), a large nassulid ciliate. Z. transversa is elongate and dorsoventrally flattened. Both dorsal and ventral surfaces bear uniform longitudinal rows of somatic cilia. A distinctive synhymenion or hypostomial frange runs obliquely posterior to the cytostome around half the cell circumference (seen well in accompanying images). Unlike the similar Synhymenia there is no preoral suture. The cytoplasm is highly vacuolated. There are multiple contractile vacuoles. The macronucleus is ovoid. There is a very prominent anterior cytopharyngeal basket composed of stout nematodesmata. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Differential interference contrast.

Ventral infraciliature of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The blue arrowheads mark the synhymenion as it curves to the dorsum on both left and right of the cell. The synhymenion continues on the dorsum to completely encircle the cell. The dorsal ends of the synhymenion are offset with the left end situated anterior to the right end. Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Dorsal infraciliature of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The blue arrowheads mark the dorsal ends of the synhymenion which are offset with the left end situated anterior to the right end. Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Anterior ventral detail of infraciliature and nasse of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The nasse,synhymenion and circumoral kinety are all clearly seen in this image.Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Anterior ventral detail of infraciliature and nasse of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The nasse,synhymenion (yellow arrowheads) and circumoral kinety (blue arrowhead) are all clearly seen in this image.Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Anterior ventral infraciliature of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The blue arrowheads mark the dorsal ends of the synhymenion which are offset with the left end situated anterior to the right end. Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.DIC.

Anterior ventral view of Zosterodasys henarensis (SOLA,GUINEA et al.,1990)FERNANDEZ-LEBORANS&ALEKPEROV,1996. The yellow arrowheads mark the ends of the synhymenion as they curve around the right and left sides to continue onto the dorsum. Collected from bottom debris of a freshwater irrigation canal in Boise, Idaho. November 2007.DIC.