Cinetochilum Perty 1849

Cinetochilum (sigh-neat-owe-kai-lum) is a small bacterivorous ciliate, common and widely distributed. Differential interference contrast. Material from Nymph Creek and Nymph Lake, thermal sites within Yellowstone National Park, photograph by Kathy Sheehan and David Patterson.

Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849, small rounded dorsoventrally flattened hymenostome ciliate. Cilia are located in shallow ventral furrows. Prominent oral aperture with small membranelles is seen on the organism's right posteriorly. Usually with long caudal cilia. Nucleus is central. Common. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Oblique illumination

Dorsal view of the silverline system of the hymenostome ciliate, Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Pert, 1849.Stained by the dry silver nitrate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield. Black and white.

Ventral view of the silveline system (argyrome) of the hymenostome ciliate, Cintechilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. The oral apparatus is subequatorial. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right. The three obliquely oriented adoral membranelles (M1- M3 ) are seen here. M3 is small compared with M1 and M2. . Radial fibrils can be seen between the posterior part of the undulating membrane and the cytostome. The scutica (unciliated basal bodies associated with the stomatogenic field of kinetosomes) is seen as a short oblique line immediately posterior to the undulating membrane. Stained by the dry silver nitrate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield. Black and white.

Ventral infraciliature of Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. Stained by the Protargol technic, Wilbert modification (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Dorsal infraciliature of Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. Stained by the Protargol technic, Wilbert modification (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the hymenostome ciliate, Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849 emphasizing oral apparatus. The oral apparatus is subequatorial. The first somatic kineties to its right and left can be seen arching around to meet just anterior to it. The other ventral somatic kineties are not well seen here. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right (red arrowhead). The three obliquely oriented adoral membranelles (M1- M3 ) are seen here. M3 (white arrowhead) is small compared with M1 (light blue arrowhead) and M2 (pink arrowhead). Radial fibrils can be seen between the posterior part of the undulating membrane and the cytostome (yellow arrowhead). The scutica (unciliated basal bodies associated with the stomatogenic field of kinetosomes) is seen as a short oblique line immediately posterior to the undulating membrane (green arrowhead). Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Key to Schewiakoff's abbreviations:  a - Anus b -- Sensory bristle cd -- cv -- Contractile vacuole ek -- Ectoplasm ml -- Left undulating membrane mr -- Right undulating membrane N -- Macronucleus ncl -- Micronucleus nk -- Food particle R -- Ribbed stripe

Dorsal view.  b -- Sensory bristle cf -- Ciliated groove cv -- Contractile vacuole ek - Ectoplasm N -- Macronucleus ncl -- Micronucleus R -- Ribbed stripe

View of right side.  Key to Schewiakoff's abbreviations:  cv -- Contractile vacuole ml -- Left undulating membrane mr -- Right undulating membrane o -- Mouth