Cyrtophoria

This is the ventral face of the ciliate showing kineties running around the mouth. A few somatic kineties run uninterrupted to the right of the cytostome (left in this picture as we are looking at the ventral face) arching around the anterior of the cell. Several right somatic kineties are interrupted by the cytostome. A long membrane of cilia lies anterior to the mouth. Gastronauta feeds mainly on diatoms. Phase contrast illumination

Gastronauta membranaceus (Engelmann in Bütschli,1889), a hypostome ciliate, distinguished by its long transversely oriented cytostome. The cytostome lacks trichites. The body is ovoid in outline and strongly dorsoventrally flattened. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for two short dorsal kineties anteriorly. A few somatic kineties run uninterrupted to the right of the cytostome arching around the anterior of the cell. Several right somatic kineties are interrupted by the cytostome. The left somatic kineties terminate at the cytostome. A single kinety runs around the circumference of the cytostome. An unciliated bare are overlies the region of the macronucleus posterior to the cytostome. The macronucleus is oblong and heteromerous (i.e. containing areas with markedly differing RNA and DNA contents resulting in irregular staining and optical characteristics). The single micronucleus is quite prominent. Two contractile vacuoles are present, one in the anterior half and one posteriorly. Gastronauta feeds mainly on diatoms. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC. This image was taken by William Bourland. He now uses a Zeiss Axioskop 2 with a Spot Insight CCD camera (Diagnostic Instruments).

Gastronauta membranaceus (Engelmann in Bütschli,1889), a hypostome ciliate, distinguished by its long transversely oriented cytostome. The cytostome lacks trichites. The body is ovoid in outline and strongly dorsoventrally flattened. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for two short dorsal kineties anteriorly. A few somatic kineties run uninterrupted to the right of the cytostome arching around the anterior of the cell. Several right somatic kineties are interrupted by the cytostome. The left somatic kineties terminate at the cytostome. A single kinety runs around the circumference of the cytostome. An unciliated bare are overlies the region of the macronucleus posterior to the cytostome. The macronucleus is oblong and heteromerous (i.e. containing areas with markedly differing RNA and DNA contents resulting in irregular staining and optical characteristics). The single micronucleus is quite prominent. Two contractile vacuoles are present, one in the anterior half and one posteriorly. Gastronauta feeds mainly on diatoms. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast illumination.

Gastronauta membranaceus (Engelmann in Bütschli,1889), a hypostome ciliate, distinguished by its long transversely oriented cytostome. The cytostome lacks trichites. The body is ovoid in outline and strongly dorsoventrally flattened. Ciliature is restricted to the ventral surface except for two short dorsal kineties anteriorly. A few somatic kineties run uninterrupted to the right of the cytostome arching around the anterior of the cell. Several right somatic kineties are interrupted by the cytostome. The left somatic kineties terminate at the cytostome. A single kinety runs around the circumference of the cytostome. An unciliated bare are overlies the region of the macronucleus posterior to the cytostome. The macronucleus is oblong and heteromerous (i.e. containing areas with markedly differing RNA and DNA contents resulting in irregular staining and optical characteristics). The single micronucleus is quite prominent. Two contractile vacuoles are present, one in the anterior half and one posteriorly. Gastronauta feeds mainly on diatoms. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Phase contrast illumination.

Gastronauta membranaceus (Engelmann in Butschli, 1889). Seen from the side, the body is dorso-ventrally flattened. 

Dorsal view of Gastronauta membranaceus (Engelmann in Bütschli,1889). DBK= dorsal brush kineties. The bipartite dorsal brush is one of the distinguishing characteristics of this species. G. derouxi has a long anterior marginal dorsal brush row of dikinetids. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC.

Ventral view (in vivo) of Gastronauta derouxi (FOISSNER & BLATTERER, 1992). OA=oral large transverse oral aperture. RCF=right ventral somatic ciliary field. LCF= left ventral somatic ciliary field. PK=preoral kineties. VKF=vertical kinety fragments.IK-RCF=anteriorly curved innermost kinety of right ciliary field. *= unciliated postoral area between right and left somatic ciliary fields.Collected from an ephemeral puddle on a grass lawn in Boise, Idaho. July 2007.DIC

Ventral view (in vivo) of Gastronauta derouxi (FOISSNER & BLATTERER, 1992). Collected from an ephemeral puddle on a grass lawn in Boise, Idaho. July 2007.DIC.

Ventral infraciliature of Gastronauta derouxi (FOISSNER & BLATTERER, 1992).Collected from an ephemeral puddle on a grass lawn in Boise, Idaho. July 2007. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Dorsal infraciliature of Gastronauta derouxi (FOISSNER & BLATTERER, 1992).DBK=dorsal brush dikinetids. Collected from an ephemeral puddle on a grass lawn in Boise, Idaho. July 2007. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of Gastronauta derouxi (FOISSNER & BLATTERER, 1992).Collected from an ephemeral puddle on a grass lawn in Boise, Idaho. July 2007. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (Foissner,W. Europ. J. Protistol.27:313-330;1991).Brightfield.