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Trithigmostoma, a large hypostome ciliate. The cell is elongate, the right margin curving to meet the relatively straight left margin. The cell is flat ventrally with a slightly domed dorsum. There is a dorsal row of bristles which angles posteriorly toward the left margin (seen clearly here). Protrusible nemadesmata are seen surrounding the cytostome. Multiple small contractile vacuoles are scattered throughout the cytoplasm. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield illumination.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. The similar species, P. fluviatilis is smaller and has only two contractile vacuoles.Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. DIC.
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Ventral face, kineties extend to the right and left of the mouth. The mouth is supported by strong microtubular nematodesmata. The granular structure near the rear is the macronucleus. The contractile vacuoles are light structure. the oblong grey organelles are probably mitochondria. Phase contrast microscopy.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. DIC.
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Browsing ciliate, consumes diatoms (frustules are visible inside the cell) using the mouth - upper right. The large central mass is the macronucleus. From coastal debris caught adjacent to the Tvarminne Zoological Station, 3rd April 2012.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. DIC.
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Trithigmostoma, browsing ciliate that will ingest attached bacteria and algae. Image emphasizing mouth with rods and apical teeth, but also showing the frustules of diatoms that have been ingested. Collected with debris from the shore adjacent to Tvarminne Zoological Station, 3rd April 2012.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore (arrows). Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. DIC.
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Trithigmostoma, browsing ciliate that will ingest attached bacteria and algae. Image emphasizing mouth with rods and apical teeth, but also showing the frustules of diatoms that have been ingested. Collected with debris from the shore adjacent to Tvarminne Zoological Station, 3rd April 2012.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.
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Chamydonella alpestris (Foissner,1979), a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally as shown in this lateral view. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body. There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior. This individual has been consuming diatoms. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield illumination.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short dorsal brush. The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum (arrows). The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.
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Chamydonella alpestris ( Foissner, 1979), a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally. Ciliature is limited to the ventral surface except for a small dorsal anterior tuft on the left (seen in this image). Kineties curve anterior to the cytostome on the right. More central kineties terminate at the cytostome. A flattened transverse Y-shaped kinety just anterior to the cytostome is considered distinctive. The circular oral aperture is supported by trichites. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body. There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.
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Dorsal view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Pseudochilodonopsis polyvacuolata (Foissner and Didier, 1981). The cell is ovoid. The anterior end is drawn to the left as a bluntly pointed rostrum. The ventral surface is flat and the central dorsal surface is arched. There is a flattened narrow circumferential margin. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for a short anterior dorsal brush. (arrow). The 7 left somatic kineties are separated from 5 right somatic kineties by an unciliated postoral bare area. The lateral-most 5 left somatic kineties terminate at a right angle to short separate preoral kineties arranged in stair-step fashion from the cytostome to the tip of the rostrum. The medial two left somatic kineties are shorter. There are two short circumoral kineties. The cyrtos opens ventrally. The heteromerous macronucleus is approximately central with one adherent ovoid micronucleus. There are 7-10 contractile vacuoles each with a single ventral excretory pore. Collected from a freshwater stream with abundant pennate diatoms near Boise, Idaho;43° 34' 41.92" N 116° 08' 50.49" W. March 2006. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.
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Ventral surface of Chlamydonella alpestris (Foissner, 1979), a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally. The right side is convex and the left is straight. Ciliature is limited to the ventral surface except for a small dorsal anterior tuft on the left. Kineties curve anterior to the cytostome on the right. About 10 evenly spaced longitudinal kineties extend from the level of the cytostome to the posterior end. A flattened transverse Y-shaped kinety just anterior to the cytostome is considered distinctive. A second short curved kinety lies just anterior to this. The circular oral aperture is supported by trichites. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body. There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior. This individual has consumed a diatom and green alga. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho October 2003. DIC optics.
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Dorsal view of the large Chlamydodontid ciliate, Trithigmostoma steini (Blochman,1895) Foissner, 1988. The colorless cell is ellipsoid in outline, broader anteriorly than posteriorly. The right side is convex and the left slightly concave. The right side curves anteriorly to meet the left as a definite beak. There is a dorsal hump extending from the level of the cytostome anteriorly and terminating as a lobular projection that extends beyond the posterior end of the ventral side. the ventral side is flat. The somatic ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for an oblique "dorsal brush" of cilia at the left side anteriorly. The somatic cilia cover the ventral surface unlike Chilodonella which has a bare postoral area. There are three preoral kineties the longest of which extends obliquely from the cytostome to the beak along the suture between the right and left kineties. The right kineties curve anterior to the cytostome. The left kineties are straight. There are 2 to 4 postoral kineties. The anterior cytostome is supported by very stout nematodesmata which are slightly protrusible. The ellipsoid macronucleus is central (seen here). There are 10-40 small contractile vacuoles (not well seen in this image). T. steini feeds primarily on algae and diatoms. T. steini differs from T. cucullulus, T. srameki and T. bavariensis are generally smaller, have fewer somatic kineties and lack a dorsal hump. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise Idaho. Phase contrast.
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Ventral surface of Chlamydonella alpestris (Foissner, 1979), a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally. The right side is convex and the left is straight. Ciliature is limited to the ventral surface except for a small dorsal anterior tuft on the left. Kineties curve anterior to the cytostome on the right. About 10 evenly spaced longitudinal kineties extend from the level of the cytostome to the posterior end. A flattened transverse Y-shaped kinety just anterior to the cytostome is considered distinctive. A second short curved kinety lies just anterior to this. The circular oral aperture is supported by trichites. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body. There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior(both seen here). This individual has consumed a diatom and green alga. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho October 2003. DIC optics.
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Dorsal view of the large Chlamydodontid ciliate, Trithigmostoma steini (Blochman,1895) Foissner, 1988. The colorless cell is ellipsoid in outline, broader anteriorly than posteriorly. The right side is convex and the left slightly concave. The right side curves anteriorly to meet the left as a definite beak. There is a dorsal hump extending from the level of the cytostome anteriorly and terminating as a lobular projection that extends beyond the posterior end of the ventral side. the ventral side is flat. The somatic ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for an oblique "dorsal brush" of cilia at the left side anteriorly. The somatic cilia cover the ventral surface unlike Chilodonella which has a bare postoral area. There are three preoral kineties the longest of which extends obliquely from the cytostome to the beak along the suture between the right and left kineties. The right kineties curve anterior to the cytostome. The left kineties are straight. There are 2 to 4 postoral kineties. The anterior cytostome is supported by very stout nematodesmata which are slightly protrusible. The ellipsoid macronucleus is central (seen here). There are 10-40 small contractile vacuoles. T. steini feeds primarily on algae and diatoms. T. steini differs from T. cucullulus, T. srameki and T. bavariensis are generally smaller, have fewer somatic kineties and lack a dorsal hump. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise Idaho. DIC.
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Ventral surface of Chlamydonella alpestris (Foissner, 1979) in mid-division. C. alpestris is a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally. The right side is convex and the left is straight. The cell shape has been distorted by fixation. Ciliature is limited to the ventral surface except for a small dorsal anterior tuft on the left. Kineties curve anterior to the cytostome on the right. About 10 evenly spaced longitudinal kineties extend from the level of the cytostome to the posterior end. A flattened transverse Y-shaped kinety just anterior to the cytostome is considered distinctive (yellow arrowheads). A second short curved kinety lies just anterior to this. The circular oral aperture is supported by trichites. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body (not visible here). There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior. This individual has consumed a diatom and green alga. Collected from freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho October 2003. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27,313-330;1991). Black and white.Brightfield optics.
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Ventral view of the large Chlamydodontid ciliate, Trithigmostoma steini (Blochman,1895) Foissner, 1988. The colorless cell is ellipsoid in outline, broader anteriorly than posteriorly. The right side is convex and the left slightly concave. The right side curves anteriorly to meet the left as a definite beak. There is a dorsal hump extending from the level of the cytostome anteriorly and terminating as a lobular projection that extends beyond the posterior end of the ventral side. The ventral side is flat. The somatic ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for an oblique "dorsal brush" of cilia at the left side anteriorly. The somatic cilia cover the ventral surface unlike Chilodonella which has a bare postoral area. There are three preoral kineties the longest of which extends obliquely from the cytostome to the beak along the suture between the right and left kineties (seen well here). The right kineties curve anterior to the cytostome. The left kineties are straight. There are 2 to 4 evenly spaced postoral kineties. The anterior cytostome is supported by very stout nematodesmata which are slightly protrusible. The macronucleus is ellipsoid. There are 10-40 small contractile vacuoles (visible in this image). T. steini feeds primarily on algae and diatoms. T. cucullulus usually has <10 contractiloe vacuoles and <23 ventral kineties. T. srameki has ,10 contractile vaucoles and its postoral kineties are more widely spaced than the othe r ventral somatic kineties. Both lack a dorsal hump. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.
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Ventral surface of Chlamydonella alpestris (Foissner, 1979), a small hypostome ciliate. The body is strongly curved dorsally and flattened ventrally. The right side is convex and the left is straight. Ciliature is limited to the ventral surface except for a small dorsal anterior tuft on the left. Kineties curve anterior to the cytostome on the right. About 10 evenly spaced longitudinal kineties extend from the level of the cytostome to the posterior end. A flattened transverse Y-shaped kinety just anterior to the cytostome is considered distinctive. A second short curved kinety lies just anterior to this. The circular oral aperture is supported by trichites. The single round macronucleus is located in the mid-body. There are two contractile vacuoles, one anterior and one posterior(both seen here). This individual has consumed a diatom and green alga. Collected from freshwater stream near Boise, Idaho March 2007. DIC optics.
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Ventral infraciliature of the large Chlamydodontid ciliate, Trithigmostoma steini (Blochman,1895) Foissner, 1988. The colorless cell is ellipsoid in outline, broader anteriorly than posteriorly. The right side is convex and the left slightly concave. The right side curves anteriorly to meet the left as a definite beak. There is a dorsal hump extending from the level of the cytostome anteriorly and terminating as a lobular projection that extends beyond the posterior end of the ventral side. The ventral side is flat. The somatic ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for an oblique "dorsal brush" of cilia at the left side anteriorly (not seen in this view). The somatic cilia cover the ventral surface unlike Chilodonella which has a bare postoral area. There are three preoral kineties the longest of which extends obliquely from the cytostome to the beak along the suture between the right and left kineties (seen well here). The right kineties curve anterior to the cytostome. The left kineties are straight. There are 2 to 4 evenly spaced postoral kineties. The anterior cytostome is supported by very stout nematodesmata which are slightly protrusible. The macronucleus is ellipsoid. There are 10-40 small contractile vacuoles. T. steini feeds primarily on algae and diatoms. T. cucullulus usually has <10 contractiloe vacuoles and <23 ventral kineties. T. srameki has ,10 contractile vaucoles and its postoral kineties are more widely spaced than the othe r ventral somatic kineties. Both lack a dorsal hump. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.
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Ventral view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Trithigmostoma cucullus (Mueller, 1786) Jankowski, 1967.
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Dorsal view of the chillodonellid ciliate, Trithigmostoma cucullulus (Mueller, 1786) Jankowski, 1967.