Description of Ciliatosporidium
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The type species is C. platyophryae Foissner and Foissner, 1995 in cytoplasm of Platyophrya terricola (Ciliophora, Colpodea). Monomorphic, monokaryotic throughout the life cycle. Meiosis unknown. Transmission unknown. Merogony: irregular, somewhat round cells, enclosed by host endoplasmic reticulum, occur near the ciliate macronucleus. These divide by binary fission. Several long protrusions extend from the surface of meronts into the host cytoplasm. Sporogony: in direct contact with host cell cytoplasm. Uninucleate meronts become sporonts and develop directly into sporoblasts. Spores, 4 x 2 µm, short, rod-like with hemispherical ends, uninucleate. The exospore consists of two, very thin, membrane-like layers. Polaroplast is bipartite, the anterior part being composed of several sacs delimited by closely adhering membranous lamellae. Posterior part of the polaroplast is less distinct, probably consisting of tightly spaced lamellae and/or tubules. Polar tube is straight, isofilar and short, reaching to 5/8 of the spore length. Spores are mainly found in the posterior part of the host cell, sometimes protruding beyond the outline of the ciliate in the form of short appendages.
