Favoritos de crseaquist

Mag. 400x

• A water sample was taken on 09/03/2023 from pond-edge using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 80°F.

Amazingly pink ciliate. For a reference see the observation by Bruce Taylor, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0bDRJTc50c.

Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2, 3)

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 07/31/2023 using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 75°F.

A brobdingnagian-sized Spirogyra in decline!? In the left cell, the ribbon-like chloroplasts (regularly dotted with small round pyrenoids) have "detached" from the cell wall; actually it appears that the ribbons (all ~10µ wide) are enclosed in a membranous bag... perhaps they are attached to this membrane. In the right cell, the chloroplasts are coiled and the surrounding membrane is further contracted compared to the left cell. Also interesting is the size of this 2 cell segment of Spirogyra; at ~150µ wide and ~300µ long, these Spirogyra cells are huge! Yes? ...or Not Spirogyra?... (I estimate at least 10 ribbon chloroplasts per cell. The cell size and # of chloroplasts suggest S. crassa as a possible ID, http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/pdb/images/chlorophyta/Spirogyra/group_A/sp_08.html.)

Mag. 400x

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 07/31/2023 using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 75°F.

As seen here https://www.algaebase.org/search/images/detail/?img_id=18232 and https://www.desmids.nl/maand/english/closterium_acutum.html.

Apex-Apex = 80µ
W = 4µ

Mag. 400x

• sediment samples were collected by the 2023 Desmid Project team of @karolina et al at Victory Basin sample site 3.

Empty semi-cell of Triploceras gracile. Length of semi-cell, 250µ. Estimated length of intact cell, 500µ. For reference images, see https://www.algaebase.org/search/images/detail/?img_id=26075 and http://www.digicodes.info/Triploceras_gracile_var_denticulatum.html.

Condylostoma species, probably C. rugosa Kahl 1930-5 from the superficial coarse sand of the intertidal benthos of marine estuary Acabonac Harbor at Louse Point launching ramp. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 20x and 40x objectives plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. This genus is notoriously difficult to identify as to species, but I decided to tackle it and found a sufficiently distinctive character to make the identification.

The cell measures 450 um in length and is slightly contractile when I tap on the slide. Shape elongated ellipsoidal, dorsoventrally flattened, anterior end truncated and very slightly slanted left side, posterior end gradually tapered and narrowly rounded, widest in mid-body. Oral cavity wide but not deep terminating in a wavy triangular pharynx, with transversely striated inner wall. Macronucleus very poorly visualized despite employing various contrast and magnification regimens but appears to be moniliform. The cortex is the most distinctive feature, very flexible and slightly contractile, appears markedly rugose with pellicle formed into discrete raised rectangles. Cytoplasm colorless containing several food vacuoles in various states of formation, no contractile vacuole seen. Based on the pellicle features, this is most likely Condylostoma rugusa Kahl 1930-5 (Kahl called it C. rugosum). My specimen, at 450 um in length, is somewhat larger than the 350 um length reported by Kahl and Carey.

Strangely, Kahl depicts but does not describe the rugose pellcle with raised rectangles. "Condylostoma rugosum spec. n. (Fig. p. 454, 7). size 300- 350 um., colorless, varyingly slender (Fig. 7 shows a rather broad form); rear± distinct and ± long retracted. Frontal cirri are apparently absent or are very weak. Not uncommon in the sapropel of a sea moat on Sylt". Carey 1992 lists this species and describes it thus:" Elongate, with a rounded posterior, 350 um long. The peristome is wide but not particularly deep. The macronucleus is moniliform. The surface of the body is rugose with the pellicle formed into discrete raised rectangles. A contractile vacuole appears to be absent".

1. A. Kahl; [Urtiere oder Protozoa I: Wimpertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria) 3. Spirotricha]. Die Tierwelt Deutschlands und der angrenzenden Meeresteile. Germany:Verlag von Gustav Fischer. (3), 1932 pp 454-5
2. Carey, Philip G. Marine Interstitial Ciliates: An Illustrated Key. Chapman & Hall. pp159, 290.

A few more specimens of Ileonema dispar, the type species of the genus, which, as far as I know, has not been recorded since it was discovered by Stokes in 1884. It is differentiated from I. simplex by its flagellar process, which, in the species Stokes describes, is in two distinct parts, thick at the base and finely filamentous at the distal end (Stokes, 1884; Penard, 1922; Kahl, 1930). This is reflected in the name of the species, "dispar" (=unequal). Stokes also describes the species as having two contractile vacuoles in the posterior, an arrangement that would be extremely odd for a trachelophyllid ciliate. In several specimens, I observed some compartmentalization in the posterior vesicle, which could easily be read as two separate vacuoles adjacent to the "anal pore." See image #4.

The flagellar process is retractable, and its appearance is quite variable. The division of this organelle into two distinct parts--which I did not see in every specimen--strikes me as a weak character. As I noted in my previous observation, I think there is some reason to think that I. simplex should be considered a junior synonym of I. dispar (or possibly a variant, or sub-species).

I caught one in fission, and have included two images of the dividers.

I also watched an individual eating a huge clump of debris containing living and dead algae. This observation, and the contents of the cytoplasm in other individuals, lead me to think the critter lives by consuming small round green algae.

Halteria grandinella (Müller, 1773) Dujardin, 1862 from the northernmost saprobic edge benthos of the spring-fed freshwater coastal pond at Ocean Dunes Apartments in the Atlantic Double Dunes Preserve. This sampling site is situated 250 meters from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and is rich in decaying organic matter.Imaged in Nomarski DIC using Olympus BH2 under SPlan 40x objective plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells of this population measure 23 um in average diameter. Based on size and lack of algal symbiont, this population likely belongs to H. grandinella, which probably represents a species complex. This animal was first described by Antoni van Leewenhoeck (1677) as "Animalcula No. 4" in a temporary pond, according to Ehrenberg (1838). Muller (1786) and Ehrenberg (1838) showed the diagrams of this animal. Dujardin's (1841) description is unclear but later Claparede and Lachmann (1858) and Kent (1881-2) clearly described the interruption of the circlet of adoral membranelles at the apical area of this organism. Maeda summarizes the morphology thus: "The body is subglobular and obtusely and roundly pointed at the posterior end. There are seven groups of somatic cirri, containing 3 cirri in each group. Each of the cirri is very long and fine, forming an equatorial belt. A contractile vacuole is situated near the center of the body. The animal moves abruptly, with occasional jumps. Principally a freshwater species, but Faure-Fremiet (1924), Margalef-Lorenz (1945) and Munch and Petozold (1956) have found it in marine habitats".

The following from Foissner et al 1991:
1) Diameter 20 - 40 pm, mostly around 30 pm.
2) Shape spherical to clumsy spindle-shaped or ellipsoid. Anterior (when the floor of the mouth is arched) and broadly rounded behind. The floor of the mouth is sometimes slightly sunken, resulting in a delicate collar on which the adoral membranella insert.

3) Macronucleus spherical, ovoid or flattened, which can be a preparation artifact, Located in the center of the cell.
4) Contractile vacuole ventrally above the equator, to the left of the oral cavity. Has four "springing bristles" which are 15 - 25 pm long
5) Fairly regularly distributed in the equatorial zone 7-10, there are vertically arranged rows of eyelashes, the individual row of eyelashes which are connected by fibrils after silver impregnation, 3 - 6 pairs of basal bodies can be recognized, which form 3 - 4 groups. The two upper groups each wear an eyelash, from the two lower groups arise
two eyelashes each, which stick to the 2 lower spring bristles. Overall recognized one thus has four "springing bristles" which are 15 - 25 pm long. the two upper eyelashes also stick together, then you can only see 3 bristles in each row . We therefore do not recommend using the number of bristles as an "in vivo" determination feature
to use for taxonomy.

6) The total number of adoral membranelles in H. grandinella (in brackets the values including all putative synonyms) 22 - 25 (L8 - 26) and can be subdivided into 2 groups: 15 - 16 (13 - 17) outer membranelles that wrap around the apical pole (floor of the mouth) and in 7-8 (5 - 10) inner membranelles located in the oral cavity. The cilia of the outer membranes are significantly longer (15 - 25 um) than those of the inner membranes (4 -10 um). On the right edge of the mouth an inconspicuous undulating membrane.
7) Movement typical. Swims straight ahead while rotating around its own body axis, whereby the mouth pole is in front. This rectilinear motion is sometimes interrupted by sudden, wide jumps, for which the median (jumping) bristles are held responsible in the literature.

Very similar in morphology to H. chlorelligera, which is slightly larger and colored green by symbiotic algae (caution: H. grandinella can also be green by eaten algae!). Species of the genus Pelagohalteria have strong rear jumping bristles (P. cinifera). Less experienced people confuse H. grandinella with species from the genera Mesodinium (no adoral membranes 'M. acarus), Strombidium (without jumping bristles- S. viride) and Strobilidium (without jumping bristles; also the inner adoral membranelles are frontal S. caudaturae). Features 5, 6 are particularly important for identification.

Of the approximately 12 species of the genus Halteria (DRAGESCO & DRAGESCO-KERNEIS 1986, MAEDA 1986) only three have been silvered so far: H. grandinella (GRAIN 1972, SONG & WIL BERT 1989, own investigations), the soil form H. decemsulcata (SZABO 1934) and Pelagohalteria viridis (H. chlorelligera). Most descriptions are therefore based almost exclusively on living observations and statistically unsecured morphometric characteristics (number of jumping bristles and adoral membranelles, shape of the floor of the mouth). Differences in the number of jumping bristles can be caused by the cilia sticking together. differences in the number of adoral membranelles may result from the difficulty to precisely detect inner membrane cells. Pending morphometric analysis of silvered material, we consider most of these species, in contrast to DRAGESCO & DRAGESCO- KERNEIS (1986), as variations of the species Halteria grandinella. A Halteria was examined in detail by TAMAR (1968, 1974, 1990), whose jumping bristles are split like a fork at the end. TAMAR (1968) established the species H. bifurcata for them. Such splitting of the jumping bristles is sometimes also found in H grandinella and in Pelagohalteria viridis (H. chlorelligera). It is possible that this cleavage is caused by environmental influences or by slight damage in microscopic observation. As long as H. bifurcata has not been silvered, we also consider it a putative synonym of H. grandinella.

1. Foissner, W. Blatterer, H.; Berger, H.; Kohmann, F. (1991): Taxonomische und ökologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems - Band I: Cyrtophorida, Oligotrichida, Hypotrichia, Colpodea. Informationsberichte des Bayer. Landesamtes für wasserwirtschaft, Heft 1/91, pp 137-143.

Urocentrum turbo (O.F. Muller, 1786) from a freshwater sample from saprobic northern edge benthos of spring-fed coastal pond at Ocean Dunes Apartments in the Atlantic Double Dunes Reserve. Sampling site situated 250 meters north of the edge of the Atlantic Ocean. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40x objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells measure 56 um in length.

Medium-sized (50-120 um long) barrel-shaped ciliate with broadly rounded ends and slightly waisted equatorially, narrowing slightly posteriorly. Oral aperture equatorial, located at anterior end of a longitudinal groove situated in the posterior body half, oval in outline with its axis lying obliquely to that of the major body axis. There is undulating membrane on the right edge of the aperture and 3 membranelles within the cavity. The posterior oral groove is ciliated and towards the posteriorly. Somatic ciliation is restricted to 3 girdles, (1) around the equator consisting of short dense cilia; (2) immediately anterior to this a much wider girdle of longer less densely packed cilia which may or may not reach the body apex and (3) a girdle lying in the posterior body half and consisting of long less-dense cilia which never cover the terminal pole. Contractile vacuole posterior, fed by 4 long serving canals. Macronucleus horseshoe-shaped lying in a transverse plane in posterior body half surrounding micronucleus. Single species genus.

Classis: Oligohymenophorea
Subclassis: Peniculia
Ordo: Peniculida
Familia: Urocentridae
Genus: Urocentrum
Species: Urocentrum turbo

PARAMECIUM BURSARIA Ehrenberg from decomposing leaf matter at the edge bottom of my long-neglected garden pond imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPan 40x objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cell measures 103 um in length. PARAMECIUM BURSARIA Ehrenberg Length 90-150µm; foot-shaped, more or less flattened; uniform ciliation except for a group of long caudal cilia; green with symbiotic zoochlorellae; a long broad oral groove (vestibule) leads to the buccal cavity, the buccal ciliary apparatus is characterized by 2 " peniculi "; 1 macronucleus, 1 compact micro-nucleus; 2 contractile vacuoles; numerous prominent trichocysts. Food Bacteria (sometimes purple-coloured sulfur bacteria), flagellates; starving individuals digest their symbionts.
Occurrence and ecology Cosmopolitan in distribution, e.g., Europe, North America, India, in still waters rich in higher plants and algae, such as ponds or littoral zones of lakes, forest pools rich in decaying leaves, oxidation ponds, polluted streams. Under laboratory conditions this ciliate occurs in cultures rich in peptone, under which conditions it can withstand high ammonium and low oxygen levels.

Paramecium bursaria is a mixotrophic ciliate species, which is common in stagnant and slow-flowing, nutrient-rich waters. It is usually found living in symbiosis with zoochlorellae (green algae) of the genera Chlorella or Micractinium. "Paramecium bursaria is one of only two species in the genus Paramecium that harbor algal endosymbionts. Based on a phylogenetic tree constructed from Paramecium 18S rRNA sequences with T. thermophila as outgroup, P. bursaria is the most diverged species since the most common Paramecium ancestor, which may explain why P. bursaria cell physiology is so distinct from other Paramecium species. In the wild, most P. bursaria cells stably harbor several hundred algal cells in the cytoplasm. Each algal cell is engulfed by a host-derived perialgal vacuole (PV) membrane that becomes attached to the host plasma membrane. Different species of algal endosymbionts have been identified in different strains of P. bursaria, suggesting that these strains may have evolved a preference for or compatibility with specific green algae" (1).

1. Genome plasticity in Paramecium bursaria revealed by population genomics. Yu-Hsuan Cheng, Chien-Fu Jeff Liu, Yen-Hsin Yu, Yu-Ting Jhou, Masahiro Fujishima, Isheng Jason Tsai & Jun-Yi Leu. BMC Biology volume 18, Article number: 180 (2020)

Mag. 400x
Beautifu! Perhaps genus Lecane? I know very little about rotifers, but I do know that I've never seen one like this! Are you able to help with an ID? @shanesmicroscope and @vicentefranch. Thanks in advance for your opinions!

• A pond-side water sample was taken on 12/27/2021 using a 10µ dip net. About 1/4" of ice had to be broken and pushed aside to access the water. Air temp. 36°F.

Polymerurus rhomboides (Stokes, 1887) from the debris of my long-neglected freshwater garden pond that is filled with rotting leaves. The animal measures 275 um in length. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40x and 20x objectives plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

"The genus Polymerurus includes the species with the largest described individuals within both Paucitubulatina and Chaetonotidae, ranging 260–770 mm long, and is well represented in fresh-water systems worldwide (Kisielewski 1991). Members of this genus are recognized by their elongate body and long, superficially segmented posterior furca. The cuticular covering of the body is highly diverse, consisting of simple flat scales, simple spined scales, stalked scales, and stalked spined scales, all with various geometric shapes. Estimates by Ruppert (1988) and Kisielewski (1991) place B16–17 species in the genus, most of which possess spined scales. Polymerurus nodicaudus (VOIGT 1901) and P. rhomboides (STOKES 1887) are the 2 most commonly occurring species in fresh-water systems and are hypothesized to be the most geographically widespread cosmopolitan species. Both species have been described from Asia, Europe, and North and South America (e.g., Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1991; Lee & Chang 2000), with P. rhomboides also known from parts of Africa (unpubl. data). Prior to this study, neither species has been reported from Australia or Antarctica" (1).

"Polymerurus rhomboides (Stokes, 1887) Material. 1 specimen. TL, 273 μm; FL, 80 μm; PhL, 50 μm; MD, 13 μm; DC, 20–22; DR, >50; SCA, 18; TS, 6–7 x 3; VC, 10. Large elongated species with three-lobed head and well developed cephalion and pleuria. Hypostomium well developed as a transverse bar behind the subterminal mouth. Furca very long, divided into 18 segments. Body covered by oval smooth stalked scales without spines. Interciliary area covered by smaller scales similar in shape to the dorsal ones. Ventral ciliation in two longitudinal bands. Pharynx widens towards the pharyngeal intestinal junction. This species is widely distributed in Europe (see e. g. Marcolongo 1910; 1914; Mola 1932; Valkanov 1937; Rudescu 1967; Martin 1981; Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1998) and is also reported from Israel (Kisielewski 1999), Japan (Saito 1937), Korea (Lee & Chang 2000); Cameroon (Togouet Zébaz et al. 2007), Canada (Schwank 1990), United States (Stokes 1887; Davison 1938; Anderson & Robbins 1980), Argentina (Grosso 1975; Grosso & Drahg 1983), Brazil (Kisielewski 1991) and Australia (Hochberg 2005)" (2).

"Specimens of the genus Polymerurus, when compared with the remaining members of Chaetonotida, are easily recognized due to their large size (some species are the longest known chaetonotidans), the presence of ring-like ornamentations – usually called segmentations – on the furcal rami, and a cephalion with prominent lateral expansions. Although all species of Polymerurus share these characteristics, it is possible to recognize among them very distinct morphotypes, generally based on their cuticular ornamentation and body outline. Regarding the latest, it is possible to distinguish completely straight outlines with absent body constrictions, as in P. serraticaudus (Voigt, 1901) from more tenpin-like shapes as occurs in P. rhomboides. Furthermore, the caudal portion varies in length, thickness and segmentation type (partial or complete). In what accounts for cuticular coverage, species may present spined scales that lack a peduncle (column-like base) or pedunculated scales (stalked scales)" (3).

1. First record of Polymerurus (Gastrotricha, Chaetonotida) from Australia with the description of a new species from Queensland and of cuticular ultrastructure in P. nodicaudus Rick Hochberg. Invertebrate Biology 124(2): 119–130.
2. New species and new records of freshwater Chaetonotida (Gastrotricha) from Sweden TOBIAS KÅNNEBY. Zootaxa 3115: 29–55 (2011)
3. Long distance dispersal and pseudo-cryptic species in Gastrotricha: first description of a new species (Chaetonotida, Chaetonotidae, Polymerurus) from an oceanic island with volcanic rocks Letícia MAGPALI , Danilo R.P. MACHADO, Thiago Q. ARAÚJO & André R.S. GARRAFFONI. European Journal of Taxonomy 746: 62–93

Mag. 100x (1), 400x (2,3)
Empty, dead cell of Closterium sp. Proportions: 480µ x 25µ, L/W = 19.2; 4 striae per 10µ near the center in the brown section; 6 striae per 10µ in the light colored section. Interesting replication artifacts: a single girdle band to the left of center and a cluster of 13 "sutures" to the right of center followed by a step-down in the diameter of the cell. This section is younger than the rest of the cell, as indicated by lack of brown, iron discoloration which is otherwise accumulated over time. I wish I knew how girdle bands and sutures are formed during replication. The fact that this taxon generates these artifacts should be a clue to its ID.

• A water sample was taken on 5/8/2023, from the shore of Lantern Hill Pond, using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 73°F.

Mag. 400x
For reference images see http://www.digicodes.info/Micrasterias_muricata.html. This taxon has been observed in 2 nearby waterbodies: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132612551 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/105465282.

• A water sample was taken on 5/8/2023, from the shore of Lantern Hill Pond, using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 73°F.

Vorticella species consistent with V.bidulphae Stiller, 1939. from the superficial intertidal benthos of marine estuary Acabonac Harbor near and just south of the Louse Point launching ramp. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40 objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

The zooid measures 46 um in length with a triangular inverted bell shape.. Zooid flared not constricted beneath peristomial lip. The peristomial lip is 1.5 x as wide as the body width. The scopula is tapered. Pellicle striations show convex ribbing. Infundibulum broad and reaches up to 50% zooid length with adjacent contractile vacuole. Macronucleus plump and c-shaped lying posterior to infundibulum. Stalk is less than 10x zooid length.

The shape, size and posterior ridge suggest V. obconica but this species does not show pellicular striations. shanes_microscope points out that the best fit is "V.bidulphae Stiller, 1939. syn V. variabilis Stiller, 1939.
DIAGNOSIS. Zooid 40 um Iong x 20 um wide, triangular in shape with a broad peristomial lip meas. 35-45 um across; disc flat or slightly convex; infundibulum reaches centre of zooid; contractile vacuole situated in upper one-third of body and empties into right hand wall of infundibulum via a short channel; macronucleus C-shaped and lies transversely across centre of zooid; pellicle distinctly striated with convex ribbing between the striations; stalk up to 120 um long; cysts measure 32 um in diameter. HABITAT. Marine, originally isolated from the North Sea attached to Bidulphae chinensis" (1).

From Chithra and Kumar:
"Vorticella bidulphae Stiller, 1939
Diagnosis: Zooid 35-44 µm long x 22 µm wide, triangular in shape with a broad peristomial lip measuring 38- 50 µm across; disc flat or slightly convex; infundibulum reach the centre of the zooid; contractile vacuole situated in upper 1/3 of zooid; macronucleus C shaped; pellicle distinctly striated with convex ribbing between the striations; stalk 100-130 µm long" (2).

1. A revision of the genus Vorticella (Ciliophora Peritrichida). A. Warren. Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool.) 50(1): 1-57

2. New distributional records of
   eighteen species of Vorticella
   (Ciliophora: Peritricha) from mangrove ecosystem of Ayiramthengu in southwest coast of India P. Chithra and R. Sunil KumarJ. Mar. Biol. Ass. India, 61 (1), January-July 2019

A massive bloom of a Pseudocohnilembus species from putrefying filamentous algae from the shoreline of marine estuary Gardiner's Bay. There are numerous fissioning and conjugating pairs. The cells range from 25 up to 45 um in length and are slender elongate elliptical with a bluntly pointed anterior end and a rounded posterior. Pellicle thin and rigid, with longitudinal grooves along ciliary rows. No extrusomes distinguishable. Uniform complete body ciliation, 1 long caudal cilium which is easily visualized. Buccal cavity elongated, reaching from anterior pole from 40 to 60% of the body length with 2 long membranes. .Macronucleus large and rounded, centrally located. Contractile vacuole terminal; several food vacuoles in middle to posterior body. Movement moderately rapid to rapid rotating, never resting.

Without silver staining, it is not possible to confidently identify the species but the double membrane of the oral apparatus is highly characteristic of the genus Pseudocohnilembus. "In 1964, Evans and Thompson established the genus Pseudocohnilembus with three new species P. persalinus, P. hargisi and P. longisetus. This genus is characterized by a buccal cavity containing two large membranes whose infraciliature consist of 2 parallel rows of kinetosomes nearly equal in length. So far, over ten species have been assigned to this genus (Foissner and Wilbert, No.3 GONG et al. : ON A MARINE CILIATE 265 1981; Femandez-Leborans and Novillo, 1994; Borror 1972; Small and Lynn, 1985; Thompson, 1966)" (1).

1. ON THE MARINE CILIATE, Pseudocohnilembus hargisi (PROTOZOA, CILIOPHORA, SCUTICOCILIATIDA) WITH COMPARISON OF ITS RELATED SPECIES" . GONG Jun, MA Hong-wei and SONG Wei-bo. Chinese Journal of Oceanology and Limnology Vol.20, No.3, P.261-265, 2002

FOISSNER W., BERGER H. & KOHMANN F. (1994): Taxonomische und ökologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems – Band III: Hymenostomata, Prostomatida, Nassulida. – Informationsberichte des Bayer. Landesamtes für Wasserwirtschaft, 1/94: 1–548.

A Comparative Study of the Infraciliature and Silverline System of the Fresh-Water Scuticociliates Pseudocohnilembus putrinus (Kahl, 1928) nov. comb., P. pusillus (Quennerstedt, 1869) nov. comb., and the Marine Form P. marinus Thompson, 1966. WILHELM FOISSNER and NORBERT WILBERT.J. Protozool., 28(3), 1981, pp.29l-291

Blue growth Invisible to naked eye, used strongest magnification of microscope attachment on eye phone. Blue spheres seem to be surrounded by black.
The growth is on concrete overpass. Concrete was very hot and dry.

Mag. 400x
Two specimens were observed, 233µ (composite image 1) and 262µ (composite image 2). For reference images, see https://www.desmids.nl/maand/english/spirotaenia_condensata.html

• A water sample was taken on 4/18/2023, from the shore of Avery Swamp impoundment, using a 10µ dip net to enrich for microbes. Air temp. 50°F.

Caenomorpha medusula in conjugation from fresh water segment of transitional estuarine river Peconic River. I chased the conjugating pair for a couple of hours waiting for them to alight somewhere and stay still but they never did, nor did they separate. The single long posterior spine makes this the type species of the genus Caenomorpha, C.medusula. In the single individuals, you can see the large posterior contractile vacuole cycling through systole and diastole. Imaged in Nomarski DIC using Olympus BH2S under SPlan 20x and 40x objectives plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

Caenomorpha Perty, 1852.
Class Polyhymenophora: Subclass Spirotricha: Order Heterotrichida: Suborder Armophorina.
Medusoid shape with armour-like pellicular shield and 1 to 3 posterior spines. Without somatic cilia except for a small group at the base of a posterior spine. 1 or 2 rows of cirri located in the anterior body region cause it to move in a jerky fashion. The perizonal stripe consists of 5 ciliary rows winding around the body above the AZM on the edge of the pellicular armour. Between 1 and 4 macronuclei but always a single micronucleus. Several species recorded, mostly freshwater and all sapropelic.

Caenomorpha is a relatively species-rich genus. Indeed, this sampling site harbors several species, namely C. corlissi, C. medusula, and C. lauterborni (William Bourland, personal communication, Dec. 2021). Numbers of macronuclei, posterior spines and the bell kineties are considered to be of high taxonomic value.

European Journal of Protistology 61 (2017) 29–40 Description of two species of caenomorphid ciliates (Ciliophora,Armophorea): Morphology and molecular phylogeny Song Li, William A. Bourland, Saleh A. Al-Farraj, Lifang Li, Xiaozhong Hua.

Marine Chaetonotid gastrotrich of genus Heterolepidoderma , probably H. ocellatum, from the superficial intertidal benthos of marine estuary Accabonac Harbor at Louse Point launching ramp. The biotope is clean medium grain sand. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40x objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

Gastrotricha are microscopic (0.06-3.0 mm in body length) free-living, acoelomate, aquatic worms, characterised by a meiobenthic life style. In marine habitats they are mainly interstitial, whereas in fresh waters they are ubiquitous as a component of periphyton and benthos and to a more limited extend also of the plankton. In marine sediments, gastrotrich density may reach 364 individuals/10 cm2 ; typically they rank third in abundance following the Nematoda and the harpacticoid Copepoda, although in several instances they have been found to be first or the second most abundant meiofaunal taxon" (1). "Gastrotricha are considered to have originated in the sea (Kieneke et al. 2008). However, our understanding of how they adapted from marine to freshwater ecosystems is still incomplete" (2).

"In aquatic environments the ecological role of the gastrotrichs is realised within the microphagous,detritivorous, benthic community. Like free-living nematodes, gastrotrichs swallow their food, which is made up of microalgae, bacteria and small protozoans, by means of the powerful sucking action of the triradiate muscular pharynx, and in turn they are preyed upon by turbellarians and small macrofauna. The phylum is cosmopolitan with about 820 described species grouped into two orders: Macrodasyida, with some 250 strap-shaped species, all but two of which are marine or estuarine, and Chaetonotida with some 450 tenpin-shaped species, two thirds of which live in freshwater. Macrodasyida include 7 families and 32 genera, whereas Chaetonotida counts 8 families and 30 genera. However due to the numerous species, and at least three new genera that wait to be described, these statistics should be considered as very conservative, particularly for the Chaetonotida" (1).

"Currently, approximately 820 Gastrotricha species have been described, divided into two orders: Chaetonotida Remane, 1925 [Rao & Clausen, 1970] and Macrodasyida Remane, 1925 Rao & Clausen, 1970. The representatives of Chaetonotida inhabit fresh, brackish and marine waters, while the Macrodasyida species almost exclusively inhabit marine waters. Only five taxa (including two fully described and named species) among all known Macrodasyida have been found in fresh waters (Rutner-Kolisko 1955; Kisielewski 1987a; Garraffoni et al. 2010; Todaro et al. 2012; Araújo et al. 2013; Kånneby et Wicksten 2014)" (2).

"In marine environments, the majority of gastrotrich species are interstitial dwellers, preferring especially fine- to medium-grained, clean sand. Only a small number of known species have adapted to other marine habitats, such as sediments rich in organic matter, rocky bottom, macrophytes or even hydrothermal vent zones (Hummon 1982; Kisielewski 1990; Kieneke et Zekely 2007; Kolicka et al. 2014)" (2).
"Heterolepidoderma is undoubtedly a genus of systematic and biogeographic interest, being one of few gastrotrich genera that include both marine and freshwater species" (3). Genus: Heterolepidoderma Remane, 1927 Typus generis: Heterolepidoderma ocellatum (Mečnikow, 1865) Terra typica: Russia. Scales with a keel. Common; freshwater, brackish-water, marine: epibenthic, periphytic, interstitial.

Heterolepidoderma is a genus of gastrotrichs belonging to the family Chaetonotidae. Heterolepidoderma Remane, 1927 is considered a polyphyletic genus (Kieneke et al. 2008, Kånneby et al. 2012, 2013) (2). "The genus Heterolepidoderma Remane, 1927 contains 36 valid species, 22 of which are freshwater1 (Balsamo et al. 2009; Kånneby 2011; Kånneby et al. 2012) and 14 marine or brackish (Hummon & Todaro 2010; Kånneby 2011; Kolicka et al. 2015). Heterolepidoderma is characterized by having keeled scales, i.e., scales equipped with strong median longitudinal keels (Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1991), although keeled scales have also been reported in freshwater species for the genera Aspidiophorus, Chaetonotus and Ichthydium (e.g. Kisielewski 1991; Kånneby et al. 2009)"(3). Thus, "the main character which allows classification of a taxon as a member of genus Heterolepidoderma Remane, 1927 is body covering by elongated and keeled scales without posterior notches (e.g. Remane 1927; Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1997; Todaro et Hummon 2008)" (1,2).

I found a pair of ocellar granules in my specimens which measured 90 um in length when fully extended. There was also a cuticular pharyngeal reinforcement. I suspect that my observation is Heterolepidoderma ocellatum Metschnikoff,1865, a relatively small sized species, with five-lobed head and a pair of ocellar granules. This species is widely distributed in Europe (see e. g. Greuter 1917; Mola 1932; Remane 1935–36; Valkanov 1937; Rudescu 1967; Martin 1981; Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1998) and is also reported from Canada (Schwank 1990), United States (Schwank 1990), Japan (Saito 1937) and Brazil (Kisielewski 1991) (4). The species is reported in freshwater as well as marine biotopes and listed in the World Register of Marine Species (5). H. ocellatus is "a relatively small sized species, with five-lobed head and a pair of ocellar granules. Sporadic absence of ocellar granules have been reported in some populations (Schwank 1990; Fregni et al. 1998). Two pairs of sensory bristles present, each of the posterior pair anchored by a double-keeled scale. Dorsal body surface covered by elongated elliptical keeled scales, smaller in size in head and neck regions. Interciliary area naked except for a pair of keeled terminal scales and 1–2 transverse rows of 3–4 keeled scales. Pharynx with small swellings at both ends" (4).

1. An overview and a dichotomous key to genera of the phylum Gastrotricha M. Antonio Todaro* and William D. Hummon. Meiofauna Marina, Vol. 16, pp. 3-20, https://www.researchgate.net/publication/236021984

Plagiopyla frontata from the near-shore intertidal benthos of marine estuary Acabonac Harbor at Louse Point. Olympus BH2 Nomarski DIC using SPlan 40x objective plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. Several individuals are shown here including several fissioning pairs just prior to separation. The size ranges from 56 up to 95 um with the lower end of this range being recent dividers. Many individuals have numerous large food vacuoles which sometimes distort or scallop the large oval macronucleus. I depict several individuals here (n=6) in which I was able to demonstrate most of the morphologic characters mentioned in the literature. According to Omar and Jung this species has a broad oral cavity vestibule that curves upward anteriorly giving it an arched appearance (1). They also describe 3 dense ciliary rows associated with the cytoproct and curved rather than straight extrusomes, the latter form seen in P. frontata's congener P. ovata (1). Additionally, Carey mentions a raised lip on the posterior vestibular edge and distinctive ciliation which I take to mean the prominent tuft of cilia at the opening of the vestibule which extend into the vestibule (2). Some individuals in my sample also appear to have a raised lip on the anterior vestibular edge as well. I was able to nicely image the characteristic (of the genus) striated band extending from the oral opening to mid-body in several individuals as well.

"Size in vivo 80-120×40-60 μm and about 100×55 μm after protargol impregnation (n=5); body oval to ellipsoidal, dorsoventrally flattened, anterior and posterior end rounded; 50-60 somatic ciliary rows; about 10 caudal cilia along left posterior margin; buccal opening slit-like, at right ventral side extending transversely to left and curving upwards in mid-region; frontal region (between anterior cell margin and upper oral lip) about 1/6 of body length; striated band on dorsal side commences at level of oral opening and forms a hook-like structure and ends near mid-body; one globular to elliptical macronucleus slightly anterior to mid-body, one micronucleus attached to macronucleus; cytoproct on posterior third of dorsal side, 1-3 dense ciliary rows left of cytoproct slit; extrusomes curved, 3-4 μm long in vivo; contractile vacuole terminal" (1). From Carey, 1992: "Plagipyla frontata Kahl, 1931: Ellipsoidal; oral cleft anteriorly; posterior rounded; 80-120 μm long; vestibule large with distinctive ciliation and a raised lip on the posterior edge; a large macronucleus & a micronucleus; a single contractile vacuole in the rear; a short field of longer caudal cilia" (2).

"Members of the family Plagiopylidae are widely distributed and most commonly live in various oxygen-depleted environments, either as endocommensals in the intestine of higher invertebrates, such as Echinodermata, or as free-living organisms (Lynn, 2008). They live in the saprobic portion of the water column of freshwater systems or in brackish and seawater habitats. These organisms bear, in their cytoplasm, hydrogenosomes and symbiotic methanogenic Archaea, prokaryotic organisms able to gain energy from methane production through different metabolic pathways (Borrel et al., 2013). Family Plagiopylidae is composed of four genera: Plagiopyla, Lechriopyla, Pseudoplagiopyla and Paraplagiopyla (Lynn, 2008)" (3).

"It is true that the overall morphology of Plagiopylidae members appears generally similar, characterized by the oval-reniform body shape, the slit-like oral region, the dorsal striated band (except for P. kiboko in which it is absent) and the single macronucleus. Genera within the family have been defined using the inner, tubular portion of the oral cavity as a key feature (Small & Lynn, 1985), whereas Plagiopyla species identifications have been based, almost exclusively, on body size, the shape of the macronucleus, the number of kineties and the collecting place (i.e. the habitats or hosts)" (3).

1. New record of five anaerobic ciliate species from South Korea. Atef Omar and Jae-Ho Jung. Journal of Species Research 11(2):108-116, 2022
2. Marine Interstitial Ciliates. An illustrated key. Philip G. Carey . pp 102, 256.
3. Critical revision of the family Plagiopylidae (Ciliophora: Plagiopylea), including the description of two novel species, Plagiopyla ramani and Plagiopyla narasimhamurtii, and redescription of Plagiopyla nasuta Stein, 1860 from India. VENKATAMAHESH NITLA, VALENTINA SERRA, SERGEI I. FOKIN, LETIZIA MODEO, FRANCO VERNI, BHAGAVATULA VENKATA SANDEEP, CHAGANTI KALAVATI and GIULIO PETRONI. Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2018, XX, 1–45.

Stephanopogon mesnili from the intertidal benthos of marine estuary Accabonac Harbor. With its 4 anterior barbs and size of 45 um, my observation corresponds to Stephanopogon mensnili (see discussion below and supporting figure). Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40x objective plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

"STEPHANOPOGON is a taxon of ciliate-like protists from marine sediments. These cells are flattened, with an extensively ciliated ventral face, and a broad anterior feeding apparatus that is used for the raptorial capture and ingestion of prey, including pennate diatoms and other surface-associated protists (Patterson and Brugerolle 1988; Larsen and Patterson 1990; Yubuki and Leander 2008). Originally Stephanopogon was treated as an unusual type of ciliate, on the basis of light microscopy data (Entz 1884; Lwoff 1923, 1936; Jones and Owen 1974), and then as a protist of uncertain affinity, due to its ultrastructural dissimilarity from ciliates (Lipscomb and Corliss 1982; Patterson and Brugerolle 1988). Molecular phylogenies have since established that Stephanopogon is actually a member of the taxon Heterolobosea, and is most closely related to Percolomonas (Cavalier-Smith and Nikolaev 2008; Yubuki and Leander 2008) with some possible ultrastructural apomorphies also nominated for the Stephanopogon–Percolomonas group (Yubuki and Leander 2008)" (1).

"Six species of Stephanopogon have been described so far: S. apogon, S. mesnili, S. mobiliensis, S. paramesnili, S. colpoda and S. minuta. These species are distinguished from one another by differences in the number of barbs,
the number of flagellar rows on the ventral surface and cell size (Jones and Owen 1974; Lei et al. 1999).

S. apogon is easily distinguished from the other five species because it is large (50–90 mm in length), has 12–14 rows of flagella and is the only species without barbs at the anterior end of the cell (Al-Qassab et al. 2002; Borror 1965; Jones and Owen 1974; Patterson and Brugerolle 1988; Larsen and Patterson 1990).

S. mobiliensis and S. mesnili have five and four anterior barbs, respectively (Kahl 1930; Jones and Owen 1974; Lwoff 1936). S. mobiliensis is 19–25 mm long and
possesses eight rows of flagella (Jones and Owen 1974), while S. mesnili is 40–70 mm long and possesses 12 rows of flagella (Dragesco 1963; Kahl 1930).
The remaining three species of Stephanopogon have three anterior barbs. Cells of S. colpoda are 50–90 mm long and have 12–14 rows of flagella (Entz 1884; Dragesco 1963; Kahl 1930; Hayward and Ryland
1990).

The cells of S. paramesnili are the largest in this genus, at 60–110 mm long, and have 11–13 rows of flagella (Lei et al. 1999). S. minuta are among the smallest in the genus, at 32–35 mm long, and have 7–8
rows of flagella (Lei et al. 1999)" (2).

1. Morphological and Molecular Characterization of a New Species of Stephanopogon, Stephanopogon pattersoni n. sp. Won Je Lee, Kai Miller & Alastair G.B. Simpson.
   Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 2014, 61, 389–398

2. Ultrastructure and molecular phylogeny of Stephanopogon minuta: An enigmatic microeukaryote from marine interstitial environments Naoji Yubuki, Brian S. Leander. European Journal of Protistology 44 (2008) 241–253

3. Supporting figure adapted from: Kingdoms and Domains
   An Illustrated Guide to the Phyla of Life on Earth
   2009, Pages 117-230
   Kingdoms and Domains
   Chapter Two - KINGDOM PROTOCTISTA
   LynnMargulisUniversity of Massachusetts at Amherst Michael JChapman Marine Biological Laboratory Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA.

Figure Pr-24A. The four species of Stephanopogon (stephano = Gk.crown; pogon = plug) colpoda drawn from work of John Corliss, 1979; Stephanopogon mesnili (based on a drawing by Andre Lwoff, c.1922), Stephanopogon apogon work of A. Borror, c.1965 and Stephanopogon mobilensis based on Jones and Owen’s studies, c. 1974. See Margulis and Chapman, 2010 for details.