Peranema trichophorum

Ribadelago de Franco, Castilla y Len, Espaa

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain

Ribadelago, Castille and Leon, Spain

Madrid, Madrid, Spain

Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain

Peranema (pear-o-knee-ma) is one of the better known gliding heterotrophic euglenids. The body is referred to as sac-shaped but this applies best to P. trichophorum, the most common species and the one illustrated here. At first glance, it would seem that there is just one flagellum, but careful observations reveal a second flagellum tightly adpressed to the body or lying in a groove in the body surface. At magnifications such as this, this species usually cannot be distinguished from Jenningsia, which has a single flagellum. The recurrent structure looks a little wider than the normal ridges of the body. The body is metabolic - meaning it squirms, and members of this genus have an ingestion organelle with which to manipulate food into the body. Animations by Rosemary Arbur of flagellar beat patterns are available here.Differential interference contrast.

Peranema (pear-o-knee-ma) is one of the better known gliding heterotrophic euglenids. The body is referred to as sac-shaped but this applies best to P. trichophorum, the most common species and the one illustrated here. At first glance, it would seem that there is just one flagellum, but careful observations, especially at high magnifications, reveal a second flagellum tightly adpressed to the body or lying in a groove in the body surface. The recurrent structure looks a little wider than the normal ridges of the body. The body is metabolic - meaning it squirms, and members of this genus have an ingestion organelle with which to manipulate food into the body. Differential interference contrast.

Peranema (pear-o-knee-ma) is one of the better known gliding heterotrophic euglenids. The body is referred to as sac-shaped but this applies best to P. trichophorum, the most common species and the one illustrated here. At first glance, it would seem that there is just one flagellum, but careful observations reveal a second flagellum tightly adpressed to the body or lying in a groove in the body surface. At magnifications such as this, this species usually cannot be distinguished from Jenningsia, which has a single flagellum. The recurrent structure looks a little wider than the normal ridges of the body. The body is metabolic - meaning it squirms, and members of this genus have an ingestion organelle with which to manipulate food into the body. Phase contrast.

Peranema (pair-a-knee-ma) trichophorum (Ehrenberg, 1830) Stein, 1878. Cells are metabolic and 35 to 50 microns long, have longitudinal pellicular striations around the cell. The anterior end of the cell is slightly pointed and the posterior end is truncated, rounded, or indented. This body is slightly curved and the flagellar pocket is also to the right. The flagellar pocket including the flagellar canal is up to 40 % the length of the cell. The anterior flagellum is as long as the cell, is thick and is directed forward when the cell is moving. The posterior flagellum may be hard to observe, is thin, and tightly adpressed to the cell surface, lying in a narrow longitudinal groove. The ingestion organelle has two rods and is weakly developed. The nucleus is posterior to the centre of the cell. The cells glide in contact with the substratum. Relatively common.

Peranema trichophorum (Ehrenberg, 1830) Stein, 1878. Cells are metabolic and 35 to 50 microns long, have longitudinal pellicular striations around the cell. The anterior end of the cell is slightly pointed and the posterior end is truncated, rounded, or indented. This body is slightly curved and the flagellar pocket is also to the right. The flagellar pocket including the flagellar canal is up to 40 % the length of the cell. The anterior flagellum is as long as the cell, is thick and is directed forward when the cell is moving. The posterior flagellum may be hard to observe, is thin, and tightly adpressed to the cell surface, lying in a narrow longitudinal groove. The ingestion organelle has two rods and is weakly developed. The nucleus is posterior to the centre of the cell. The cells glide in contact with the substratum.

Peranema trichophorum. Cell observed in freshwater habitats in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using phase contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Peranema trichophorum. Surface of a cell observed in freshwater habitats in the vicinity of Broome, Western Australia in September 2003. This image was taken using differential interference contrast optics.   This work was supported by the Australian Biological Resources Study.

Gliding Peranema cell. One thick flagellum pprojects from the front of the cell. There is a second flagellum - but it lies close to the cell surface and can only be seen with careful observation. It is not visible in these two cells. The cell on the surface of the air bubble is seen from side view. Phase contrast microscopy

The two rods of the phagotrophic apparatus revealed by immunofluorescence microscopy (from A. Belhadri & G. Brugerolle).

Nomarski image of living gliding cells. There are two flagella, but only one is visible, the other adheres to the surface of the cell. The rods of the ingestion apparatus are visible just behind the anterior end of the cell. Animations by Rosemary Arbur of flagellar beat patterns are available here.