Marimonadida

Phyllomitus (file-owe-mite-us) is a swimming phagotrophic flagellate - believed to be related to the stramenopiles (because of the sine wave pattern of beating of the anterior flagellum and because the flagellum draws the cell forward suggesting the presence of flagellar hairs). There is a second trailing flagellum. This is not a particular familiar genus, but is one of the more voracious heterotrophic flagellates. They may ingest particles of food many times bigger than themselves - and is not unknown to see swimming diatoms which after carefully scrutiny can be seen to be a large diatom enclosed by a Phyllomitus that has become stretched very thinly. Phase contrast.

Phyllomitus (file-owe-mite-us) undulans Stein, 1878. Cells are about 11 - 12 microns long and have two flagella that adhere to each other. The cells are pointed anteriorly and posteriorly. The flagella arise at the anterior end of the cell. The flagella appear to be similar in length, about 3 times longer than the cell, and undulate. The pellicle is smooth and the nucleus is located on the mid-anterior part of the cell. Cytoplasmic strands may be seen from the posterior end. The cells may attach to the substrate by the posterior end of the cell. Rarely observed.

Phyllomitus undulans Stein, 1878. Cells are about 11 - 12 microns long and have two flagella that adhere to each other. The cells are pointed anteriorly and posteriorly. The flagella arise at the anterior end of the cell. The flagella appear to be similar in length, about 3 times longer than the cell, and undulate. The pellicle is smooth and the nucleus is located on the mid-anterior part of the cell. Cytoplasmic strands may be seen from the posterior end. The cells may attach to the substrate by the posterior end of the cell.

Phyllomitus (file-owe-mite-us) granulatus Larsen and Patterson, 1990. Cell outline is sac-shaped. Cells are flexible, 7 to 21 microns long and slightly flattened. The anterior flagellum beats with a sine-wave, is about 1.0 to 1.5 times the length of the cell and is directed to the front and slightly to the right during swimming. The posterior flagellum inserts to the left of the anterior flagellum, varies in length from 0.5 to 2.5 times the length of the cell. Cytoplasm is drawn out at the posterior end. Refractile granules underlie the cell surface. The nucleus is located below the anterior pocket, near the centre of the cell and is roundish. The cells contained ingested eukaryotic algae. Sometimes very common (late culture).

Phyllomitus granulatus Larsen and Patterson, 1990. Cell outline is sac-shaped. Cells are flexible, 7 to 21 microns long and slightly flattened. The anterior flagellum beats with a sine-wave, is about 1.0 to 1.5 times the length of the cell and is directed to the front and slightly to the right during swimming. The posterior flagellum inserts to the left of the anterior flagellum, varies in length from 0.5 to 2.5 times the length of the cell. Cytoplasm is drawn out at the posterior end. Refractile granules underlie the cell surface. The nucleus is located below the anterior pocket, near the centre of the cell and is roundish. The cells contained ingested eukaryotic algae.

Phyllomitus salinus Lackey, 1940. Cells are about 12 microns long and 5 microns wide. This small fonn is very active. Typically elongate, cylindrical, metabolic, with 2 flagella emerging from a slight anterior depression. The trailing flagellum is about two-thirds body length, the anterior is about one and one half body length. Nucleus median, cytoplasm clear, granular, a few small spheres sometimes present. Nutrition and reproduction not reported. It also has shorter flagella and a less pronounced mouth region than P. undulans.

Abollifer prolabens Voers, 1992. The cell is about 8-12 x 10-20 microns It is ovoid-oval and dorso-ventrally flattened with a deep anterior or depression into which the flagellum inserts. The sides of this depression are swollen. The cell surface is rigid and granulated, the cell appears opaque and probably has a pellicle. The cell moves by gliding, but it may detach from the substrate and jerk through the water with an irregular sinusoidal flagellar beat, a second shorter trailing flagellum is sometimes present.