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Right dorsolateral surface view of the hymenostome ciliate, Frontonia angusta (Kahl, 1931). Very similar in overall apppearance to F. acuminata (Ehrenberg,1833)Buetschli,1889. F. angusta lacks the anterior apical collection of pigmented granules seen in F. acuminata and its contractile vacuole has 3-4 excretory pores (4 in this case).The approximately 6 µm long extrusomes are clearly visible. Ingested diatoms and green algae are present. Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho.DIC.
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Optical section of the marine frontoniid ciliate, Schistophrya aplanata (Kahl,1933). Schistophrya is a monotypic genus. The cell outline is elongate and bluntly rounded anteriorly and posteriorly. The somatic ciliature is uniform. The pellicle is areolate (marked by uniform rectangular depressions). The slit-like oral aperture is located in mid-body and is bordered by thin slightly serrate lips (not seen in this image). The cytopharyngeal basket of fine trichites is not seen well in these images. A single contractile vacuole is located in the anterior half of the cell. There is a single ovoid macronucleus. A large aggregate of refractile dark granules is present at the anterior end. Fusiform subcortical extrusomes are present (seen in this image). S. aplanata is similar in appearance to the freshwater frontoniid ciliate, Clathrostoma viminale. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.
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Phase contrast micrograph showing clearly one contractile vacuole with five filled channels.
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Lembadion (lem-bad-ee-on) is a freshwater planktonic ciliate. It has a large scoop to one side of the body, moves through the water in a rotating motion. In this action it scoops up small planktonic algae - its food. Phase contrast.
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Paramecium (aurelia) (par-a-mee-see-um) is a very familiar genus of ciliates. They eat bacteria and have the mouth recessed in a buccal cavity, and the cell is often shaped with a scoop leading to the mouth. There are cilia all over the body with a caudal tuft of longer cilia at the back of the body. Usually with a layer of extrusomes (trichocysts) under the cell surface and a large oval macronucleus. Contractile vacuoles star-shaped. This species is P. aurelia, one of the smaller spindle-shaped (morpho)species. The (morpho) species is best distinguished by the presence of two small micronuclei pressed up against the macronucleus. Phase contrast.
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Paramecium aurelia and its Parasites.
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Mahide, Castilla y Len, Espaa
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Campillos, Andalusia, Spain
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Castille and Leon, Spain
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Matute, La Rioja, Spain
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Rumoroso, Cantabria, Espaa
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Herrera de Soria, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Canencia, Madrid, Spain
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Peniscola, Valencia, Spain
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Franceses, Canary Islands, Spain
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Cabanas De Sayago, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Rumoroso, Cantabria, Espaa
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Caada del Hoyo, Castilla-La Mancha, Espaa
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Villar del Pedroso, Extremadura, Espaa
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Ventral infraciliature of the hymenostome ciliate, Frontonia angusta (Kahl, 1931). Very similar in overall apppearance to F. acuminata (Ehrenberg,1833)Buetschli,1889. F. angusta lacks the anterior apical collection of pigmented granules seen in F. acuminata and its contractile vacuole has 3-4 excretory pores (not visible here).The prominent preoral and postoral sutures are visible. The 3 curved adoral membranelles are seen on the viewer's right of the oral apparatus. The vestibular ciliary rows are seen to the viewer's left of the the oral apparatus.The postoral ciliary field is seen abutting the posterior margin of the peristome to the viewer's right of the postoral suture.Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho.Brightfield.
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Portrait of the marine frontoniid ciliate, Schistophrya aplanata (Kahl, 1933). Schistophrya is a monotypic genus. The cell outline is elongate and bluntly rounded anteriorly and posteriorly. The somatic ciliature is uniform. The pellicle is areolate (marked by uniform rectangular depressions). The slit-like oral aperture is located in mid-body and is bordered by thin slightly serrate lips (seen well in this image). The cytopharyngeal basket of fine trichites is not seen well in these images. A single contractile vacuole is located in the anterior half of the cell. There is a single ovoid macronucleus. A large aggregate of refractile dark granules is present at the anterior end. Fusiform subcortical extrusomes are present. S. aplanata is similar in appearance to the freshwater frontoniid ciliate, Clathrostoma viminale. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.
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Lembadion (lem-bad-ee-on) is a freshwater planktonic ciliate. It has a large scoop to one side of the body, moves through the water in a rotating motion. In this action it scoops up small planktonic algae - its food. This one has been eating Cyclidium, which can be seen in the food vacuole. Differential interference contrast.
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Paramecium (aurelia) (par-a-mee-see-um) is a very familiar genus of ciliates and this (morpho) species is best distinguished by the presence of two small micronuclei pressed up against the macronucleus. They can be seen here to the north of the nucleus. Differential interference contrast.