Infraciliature

Descrição:

Infraciliature (right side) of Microthorax viridis (Penard,1922), a small nassophorean ciliate. The body is strongly dorsoventrally flattened. The right side is gently rounded and the left is straight. Somatic ciliature is reduced to three interrupted kineties on the right side. There is a short undulating membrane on the right margin of the cytostome and a small adoral membranelle in the depths of the oral depression. There are a few small clusters of preoral cilia on the left side anteriorly. This genus has delicately ridged armor. The cytostome is in a notch in the left posterior body (seen here). The spheroid macronucleus is central. One or two contractile vacuoles are usually adjacent to the oral aperture. M. viridis has endosymbiotic algae (probably Chlorella). Stained by the dry silver nitrate technic (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27,313-330;1991). Collected from a eutrophic freshwater dredge pit near Idaho City, Idaho September 2003.Brightfield.