Favoritos de mnold1

Spirostomum teres Claparède & Lachmann, 1859 from Pussy's Pond, a brackish offshoot of the estuary Acabonac Harbor. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlanapo 20 0.75, SPlanapo 40 0.95 objectives and Splan 100 1.25 oil objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells measure from 480 up to 560 um in average length, have a compact ellipsoid macronuclear nodule, and are brownish in color and highly spirally contractile. A single row of well-developed oral membranelles defines the left side of the long, thin peristomial field, which runs parallel to the main body axis from the anterior end to the cytostome, which is located at 45% of the body length. One stripe of packed cortical granule rows (average 3) between each kinety pair; cortical granules are of different sizes. The contractile vacuole is single and posteriorly located, with a long collecting canal extending along the dorsal side often reaching the anterior end.

"Spirostomum is a genus of ciliated protists that belongs to the class Heterotrichea. It is known for being very contractile. Having been first identified by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1834, further research has identified eight additional true morphospecies. This bacterivore genus mainly lives in the sediment deposits at the bottom of various aquatic habitats, and members possess rquA genes that could be responsible for their ability to survive in these hypoxic and anoxic environments. They are identifiable by their relatively (to other ciliates) large tubular/flat vermiform bodies. Their life cycle consists of a growth stage, in which they mature, and asexual and sexual reproduction stages. Some species are model organisms for studies on human pathogenic bacteria, while others are sensitive and accurate bioindicators for toxic substances" (1).

"Spirostomum Ehrenberg, 1838 are conspicuous ciliates protists that are easily recognized by their large sizes (500-1000 µm) and elongate bodies, being easily confounded with small helminths. The name Spirostomum refers to the ability these ciliates have to contract in a spiral mode. This type of contraction is due to the presence of post-ciliary, sub-pellicular fibers that arise on the anterior end and spiral in a counterclockwise direction toward the posterior end of the body. Of the eight species that currently comprise Spirostomum, five (including S. minus) possess a moniliform macronucleus" (2). "There are currently eight accepted morphospecies in the genus: S. ambiguum, S. minus, S. teres, S. yagiui, S. dharwarensis, S. semivirescens, S. subtilis, S. caudatum" (1). Among all species of Spirostomum, only S. teres and S. caudatum have a compact macronucleus. S. caudatum is easily separated from S. caudatum by the latter's long thin tail (1). Another old species similar to S. teres is S. ephrussi but according to Repack and Isquith (1974), S. ephrussi is junior synonym of S. teres" (2).

"Spirostomum teres Cláparéde and Lachmann, 1858-1859. [syn: S. ephrussi Delphy, 1939] 150-650 um (avg. 250-450) um long. Length: width ratio about 5-16 (avg. 8-12). 5-15 (avg. 7-10) kineties on each side; usually homogeneous cortical granule rows, variable in number per stripe (2-4). Peristome from 1/3 to slightly more than 1/2 of the body length. Contractile vacuole usually less than 1/5 of the body length. Often brownish. Ellipsoid macronucleus (length: width ratio < 5) in the middle sector of the body, about 20-50 x 5-20 um when stained by Feulgen reaction. A few (1-3) micronuclei 1-2 m long. Molecular analyses suggest that this morphospecies include phylogenetically diverse lineages, some of which are more closely related to S. yagiui and S. dharwarensis; no reliable morphological autapomorphy has yet been detected for these lineages. Found in both fresh- and brackish-water environments. Reported in Europe, central Africa, Madagascar, USA, Brazil, Caspian Sea, India, China and Korea. It sometimes harbors cytoplasmic prokaryotic symbionts" (3).

"Differential diagnosis: 1) Size in vivo 150-600 x20-75 um, mostly 200-400 um, according to DRAGESCO (1960) brackish water forms even reach a length of 880 um. Very contractile; contractile cells more clearly spindle-shaped. 2) Shape moderately broadly cylindrical, somewhat expanded in the middle third, 10-15 times longer than wide. Anterior half distinct, posterior slightly narrowed. Front end slightly beaked, rear end broadly truncated. 3) Macronucleus ellipsoid, about 25-48 x 9-12 um in size, lies in the middle third. 1-2 lenticular, 2-4 um large micronuclei. 4) Contractile vacuole at the posterior end, with a long collecting duct extending forward along the dorsal side. 5) Close under the pellicle, very many spherical, arranged in elongated bands of 2-3 rows each lemon-yellow granules (oil immersion), which give the cell a yellowish tinge. 6) About 25-30 rows of cilia, few in stretched cells, strong in contracted individuals run spirally. 7) The adoral membranelle zone extends from the anterior end to about the middle of the body and bends to the right at the lower end. Oral groove bordered on the right by an undulating membrane. 8] Movement slipping, wriggling and crawling. Floats with rotation around the longitudinal axis" (4).

1, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spirostomum#cite_note-:3-1

1. Morphology and 18S rDNA gene sequence of Spirostomum minus and Spirostomum teres (Ciliophora: Heterotrichea) from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Noemi M. Fernandes & Inácio. D. da Silva Neto. ZOOLOGIA 30 (1): 72–79, February, 2013 http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1984-46702013000100009

Trachelophyllum brachypharynx Levander, 1894

"Trachelophyllids prefer terrestrial and semiterrestrial habitats (Kahl 1930; Foissner 1984, 1994, 2005; Foissner et al. 2002), but some have also been found in freshwater (Foissner et al. 1995, 1999) and one species, Trachelophyllum brachypharynx Levander, 1894, was reported from saltwater (e.g., Levander 1894, 1901; Coats and Clamp 2009; Telesh et al. 2009)". I found a population of this species in brackish water from the estuarine pond Pussy's Pond, an offshoot of Accabonac Harbor in the Town of East Hampton, New York. Except for its somewhat smaller size, my observation conforms perfectly to the description of Jang et. al. Size is often variable intraspecies. The lepidosomes forming a mucilagenous cortical surface layer are notoriously difficult to visualize in vivo but you can clearly see the roughened character of the cortex in my photos.

"Size about 380 × 40 μm in vivo, slightly contractile. Shape very narrowly fusiform, with a slightly to distinctly narrowed neck, gradually merging into a broadened trunk. Two ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules usually connected by a fine strand, with two to three broadly ellipsoidal micronuclei close to or attached to macronuclear nodules. Contractile vacuole terminal and comparatively small. Extrusomes filiform, slightly curved and with pointed ends, 30 µm long in vivo. On average, 24 ciliary rows, two anteriorly differentiated into an isostichad dikinetidal dorsal brush: row 1 composed of 40 dikinetids on average, row 2 of 33 dikinetids on average. Lepidosomes hat-shaped and about 4 × 3.7 µm in vivo". "Oral bulge rather conspicuous because distinctly set off from body proper; pin-shaped in extended specimens, while conical in contracted cells; not covered by lepidosomes".

Another marine Trachelophyllum species is Trachelophyllum apiculatum (Perty, 1852) Claparède & Lachmann, 1859. However this species is more flask shaped and has four macronuclear nodules.

Morphology, Ciliary Pattern and Molecular Phylogeny of Trachelophyllum brachypharynx Levander, 1894 (Litostomatea, Haptoria, Spathidiida) Seok Won JANG, Peter Vďačný, Shahed Uddin Ahmed Shazib and Mann Kyoon Shin. Acta Protozool. (2015) 54: 123–135

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/280571553_Morphology_Ciliary_Pattern_and_Molecular_Phylogeny_of_Trachelophyllum_Brachypharynx_Levander_1894_Litostomatea_Haptoria_Spathidiida

Magnification of photos: 400×, 600×, 600×, 400×, 600×
Habitat: filamentous green algae (mostly Mougeotia and Spirogyra) and some organic debris collected from a freshwater pond.
Photo taken with a Celestron PentaView Digital Microscope. According to their website, the FOV (i.e. the diagonal width) at 400× is 150 µm.

Magnification of photos: 100×, 200×, 200×, 200×, 400×, 400×
Habitat: filamentous green algae (mostly Mougeotia and Spirogyra) and some organic debris collected from a freshwater pond.
Photo taken with a Celestron PentaView Digital Microscope. According to their website, the FOV (i.e. the diagonal width) at 100× is 600 µm.

Trachelius ovum EHRENBERG, 1831 EHRENBERG, 1838 from the acidic freshwater kettle pond Chatfield's Hole. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2S using SPlanapo 20 0.75 and Splanapo 40 0.95 objectives plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. The cells measure 240 um in length. The following discussions and several figures are adapted from Foissner et al (1995) (1).

According to EHRENBERG (1838), FOISSNER & FOISSNER (1988b) and KAHL (1931a), Trachelius ovum has several safe synonyms, which do not appear in the saprobiological literature: T. cicer SCHRANK- this older synonym was never used and should therefore be suppressed forever for reasons of stability, T. vorax EHRENBERG, Amphileptus rotundus MASKELL, Trachelius Leidyi FOULKE. The exact organization of this common ciliate was previously insufficiently known, although it was reported several times and has been processed using modern methods (DRAGESCO & DRAGESCO-KERNEIS 1986, FRYD VERSAVEL et al. 1975, SONG & WILBERT 1989). The representations are too schematized and incorrect in detail. We have therefore reworked T. ovum for the “Atlas”. This showed that the somatic and oral ciliation is very similar to that of Dileptus. Nevertheless, Trachelius is clearly demarcated from Dileptus namely by the ventro-lateral fossa, where the ciliation is slightly modified and the club-shaped mouth funnel, which consists of a thick layer of the finest fibrils.

Congener comparison: Trachelius subtilis PENARD, which has not yet been sufficiently confirmed, has only 12 contractile vacuoles and no suction cup. Dileptus species usually have a clearly pointed rear end and are always much slimmer. Paradileptus elephantinus lives predominantly in the pelagic of stagnant waters and has a rosary-shaped (moniliform) macronucleus. The characteristics are particularly important for identification are 2, 3, 4 .

Interestingly, I found one individual with two closely abutting oval macronuclei (see end of pictures after sampling site pictures). Trachelius subtilis PENARD, 1922, a species which Vďačný & Foissner (2) synonymized with T. ovum, is stated to have two oval macronuclear nodules. However, Martin Kreutz disagrees with Vďačný & Foissner and writes: "Trachelius subtilis was first described by Penard (1922). The species is smaller than Trachelius ovum and its main characteristic is a two-part macronucleus with a spherical micronucleus in the middle. In 2012 Vďačný & Foissner (2) synonymized Trachelius subtilis with Trachelius ovum with the argument that Penard (1922) possibly only found specimens of Trachelius ovum with a macronucleus constricted in the middle and that this is an observational error. Vďačný & Foissner obviously did not find any specimens with such a constricted macronucleus themselves. However, Penard was a very precise observer and Kahl (1935) also found specimens of Trachelius subtilis, which confirmed and supplemented Penard’s results" (3). Dr. Kreutz's examples do show two clearly separate macronuclear nodules with an intervening micronucleus in contrast to my observation of two closely abutting macronucleuar nodules with no visible micronucleus so I cannot rule out a folded dumbbell-shaped macronucleus appearing as two nodules in my example.

Differential diagnosis
Size in vivo 200-600 x 75-350 um, usually 250-350 um long.
Shape sac-shaped to almost spherical, starving specimens clearly flattened on one side. Proboscis often only about 1/4-, rarely up to 1/2-length, usually curved dorsally. In well fed specimens it becomes a short, stalk-shaped extension. Ventro-laterally a small, difficult to recognize pit that serves as a suction cup.
Macronucleus dumbbell-shaped, often disintegrates into a few spherical parts in postconjugates. Several micronuclei.
Many small contractile vacuoles scattered throughout the cell. Plasma very strongly vacuolated, the strands form a coarse network.
Short, rod-shaped extrusomes in the proboscis along the ridge of the mouth. Cortex thick, with many ellipsoid granules.
About 80-120 longitudinal rows of cilia, some of which extend into the ventro-lateral fossa, where there are several specializations, which are explained in the figure legends. Brush 3-4 rows, on the dorsal side of the trunk, a row extending almost to the end of the body; only clearly visible after silver impregnation and in the scanning electron microscope.
Mouth entrance at the base of the proboscis, surrounded by many very delicate bars that form a club-shaped, thick-walled funnel. To the right of the circumoral row of eyelashes there is a longitudinal row of cilia, on the left there are many short oblique rows of perioral cilia; more precise structure of the oral cilia can only be recognized after silver impregnation.

1. FOISSNER W., BERGER H., BLATTERER H. & KOHMANN F. (1995): Taxonomische und ökologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems – Band IV: Gymnostomatea, Loxodes, Suctoria. – Informationsberichte des Bayer. Landesamtes für Wasserwirtschaft, 1: pp. 208-18
2. VĎAČNÝ P. & FOISSNER W. (2012): Monograph of the dileptids (Protista, Ciliophora, Rhynchostomatia). – Denisia, 31: 1–529.
3. https://realmicrolife.com/trachelius-subtilis/

Magnification of photos: 600×, 600×, 600×, 600×
Habitat: muddy water at the edge of a pond. Associated plants: Typha sp., Verbena hastata. Collected by my friend on November 22, 2022.
Photo taken with a Celestron PentaView Digital Microscope. According to their website, the FOV at 600× is 100 µm.

Cothurnia species found attached to filamentous algae at the shoreline of marine estuary Gardiner's Bay. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2 using SPlan 40x objective plus variably phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. Lorica rotund and tapering basally, 47 um long x 30 um wide. Aperture wide, no neck. Aperture border without cleft or collar. External stalk short and slender with no striations; mesostyle short and broad with longitudinal striae; endostyle short without striations. Zooid cylindrical, 56 um long X 25um wide, extending up to one sixth of its length beyond aperture. Diameter of peristomial lip slightly greater than maximum body width. Macronucleus not well visualized but thought to be short sausage-shaped and lying longitudinally in anterior center of body. CV situated near center of infundibulum which is about one third zooid length. Habitat. Marine found attached to filamentous algae. I could find no matching species in Warren and Paynter 1991.

Cothurnia is a genus of freshwater and marine peritrichs in the family Vaginicolidae. It is characterised by living in a transparent tubular lorica. During the feeding or vegetative phase of its life cycle, Cothurnia attaches to submerged surfaces through a short stalk — mostly on the surfaces of fishes, crustaceans and aquatic plants. It is commonly studied for its epibiotic relationship with the host that it is attached to. The etymology of the genus name Cothurnia derives from the ancient Greek word κόθορνος (kóthornos), and from the Latin word cothurnus, meaning "buskin, or high boot". Cothurnia has been noted for its correlation with water quality (especially in water treatment plants). It has been observed a decrease in the prevalence of Cothurnia on prawns as the water quality deteriorates, making it a good indicator of the quality of water in the environment. Cothurnia is often confused with Vaginicola due to their similar morphologies. Vaginicola lacks a stalk and the zooid is attached directly to the lorica.

Cothurnia is mostly sessile, particularly when feeding or asexual reproduction. However, it can be motile when its habitat is disturbed or to search for a habitat with a higher abundance of food. Its mobile stage is called a telotroch and is often mouthless. The cilia of the organism are located on the peristomal disc of the zooid. When feeding, the zooid slowly extends out of its lorica and rhythmically beats its oral cilia to generate a vortex to draw its prey towards its peristomal lip. A typical species of Cothurnia forms a cylindrical lorica to protect the trumpet-shaped zooid. The lorica may be compressed or elongated along the longitudinal axis, resulting in oblate or prolate forms respectively, or it may be compressed along the transverse axis, resulting in dorso-ventrally compressed forms. The shape of these loricae have traditionally been used to distinguish between species, but since they can vary drastically in size and shape, there has been debates regarding the usefulness of the lorica shape as a taxonomic character. When disturbed, the zooid rapidly retracts into the lorica. There is no specific mechanism of aperture closing of the lorica. Towards the posterior end of the lorica, there is a short and slender endostyle that attaches the zooid to the septum of the lorica and a mesostyle that connects the endostyle to the base of the lorica. The scopula produces a short, non-contractile stalk that protrudes through an aperture at the aboral end of its lorica to affix the organism to surfaces. Some species possess smooth and featureless stalks, while others have transverse folds on the surface of their stalks. The stalk forms a basal disc to attach itself like a suction cup.

A revision of Cothurnia (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) and its morphological relatives. ALAN WARREN & JAN PAYNTER. Bull. Br. Mus. nat. Hist. Zool. 57(1): 17-59 Issued 30 May 1991

The suctorian Metacineta mystacina from an ephemeral rainwater puddle on a neglected lawn. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2S using SPlanapo 40 0.95 objective plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. This is likely M. mystecina var. brevipes with a very short stalk on the lorica (see below). Actually, Metacineta does not have a true stalk but rather a hollow narrowing extension of the main lorica.

The cell measures 38 um in diameter and the six-sided lorica measures 40 um in diameter. I could only obtain an apical view of the animal despite attemps to wrangle it into a side view by tapping on and moving the coverglass. Thus, I could not assess the presence of and morphology of a basal stalk by optical sectioning through the animal. The lorica is subdivided at the anterior or distal margin into six stellately-arranged acuminate, triangular, valve-like lobes through which the tentacles emerge. I considered a similar species, Solenophrya micraster (Metacineta micraster) whose lorica is attached by its lorica direct to the substratum without an intervening stalk but that species has a pentagonal not hexagonal lorica with 5 tentacles fascicles. There is an ovoid nacronucleus and a single contractile vacuole below the level of the macronucleus.

Differential diagnosis: Only the variety typica is characterized here; are the essential characteristics of the other varieties can be found in the Taxonomy chapter.
1) Shell of the adult sessile specimens 55-250 x 35-80 um. Ratio of length of the wide to the narrow lorica 1:3 to 2:1, usually about 1:1.
2) Cell shape roundish. At the apical end 6 bundles with 6-17 (usually 8-12) tentacles each. tentacle up to 150 um long), distal end spherical.
3) Lorica narrow to broad funnel-shaped and not flattened, with 6 triangular lobes almost at the front completely closed. Tentacles protrude from the radial gaps between the lobes. Width of the stalk, a stem-like narrowing halfway up is about 4-8 um.
4) Macronucleus spherical approximately in the center of the cell. 1 spherical micronucleus.
5) Contractile vacuole subapical .
6) Swarmers 60-70 x 25-35 um, approximately ellipsoid, with 17-28 rows of cilia.
7) Resting cyst in top view, lemon-shaped, with a strong stalk attached to the substrate.

To differentiate the varieties taxonomy. Metacineta micrasler (PENARD) has 5 shell gaps and is usually attached to the substrate without a stalk-like narrowing. In Metacineta macrocaulis (STOKES), the shell is open apically and has 8-9 ribs (no columns) and a relatively long and thin "stem" . Metacineta longipes (MERESCHKOVSKY) is >1000 um long. Metacineta cuspidata resembles the short-stemmed form brevipes can only be clearly distinguished by their long, winding tentacles. Acineta species have a highly compressed shell and only 2 bundles of tentacles. For identification are special Features 1, 3 are important.

Foisner et al write: The taxonomic status of the different forms of M. mystacina is not yet clear. We follow RIEDER (1985), who examined this group in great detail; he distinguishes 5 varieties, viz: typica (6 lorica columns, stem-like part of the housing (= Stylotheca) usually about as long as the width; brevipes (6 lorical slits, stylotheca very short; yoshii (8 lorica gaps, stylotheca short and noticeably thick; bilateralis (6 lorica columns, shell bilaterally symmetrical, stylotheca very short; and angularls (only 2 housing columns, housing bilaterally symmetrical, stylotheca short). MATTHES (1988) looks at the typical form only brevipes and bilateralls as varieties, the others he lists as species. In practice you will be comfortable
all forms mentioned are best referred to as M. mystacina s.l. describe.

Taxonomische und ökologische Revision der Ciliaten des Saprobiensystems, Band IV: Gymnostomatea, Loxodes, Suctoria. January 1995
Publisher: Bayerisches Landesamt für Wasserwirtschaft. Wilhelm Foissner,Helmut Berger, Hubert Blatterer, F. Kohmann. pp 481-7.

Cristigera cirrifera Kahl 1928 , a very interesting cyclidiid scuticociliate from a decomposing boiled wheat seed added to provide food for bacteria and hopefully generate a biofilm in my 2 week-old sample of the superficial intertdal benthos of a new sampling site, a small beach near the boat basin at Moneybogue Bay in Westhampton Beach on the south shore of Long Island. Imaged in Nomarski DIC on Olympus BH2S using Splan 100 0.90 objective with oiled condenser plus variable phone camera cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+. Thanks to Genoveva Esteban, who has published extensively about this genus, for suggesting the diagnosis.

The cells measure 24 um in length and are barrel-shaped with an unciliated apical plate and a rounded posterior with a single long caudal cilium and a terminal contractile vacuole. The spherical macronucleus is at the anterior of the cell and there is an inconspicuous spherical micronucleus. The population is quite well-fed and the cytoplasm is filled with round refractile food vacuoles. The oral apparatus 1/2 body length. There are 3 very small adoral membranelles arranged one behind the other, right of which an L-shaped undulating membrane, the cilia of which are quite long and when resting the animal forms a striking sail. Movement jumping and sliding; during the often long breaks the cilia are spread apart and the undulating membrane is set up like a sail and food is swirled in. Importantly, we can see an obvious surface covering of long bacilliform ectosymbionts on the cells. Both C. cirrifera and C. vestita have such a bacterial covering but the longer cilia and jumping movement favors C. cirrifera.

From Kahl 1928: Cristigera cirrifera KAHL, 1928 Gr. 24-28 um. uniformly oval to ovoid, with clear depression to the image the half-body-length Mbr. The cirrus-like bristles detach pathologically easy in two (or three?) cilia; they brace themselves crookedly against the cover glass, so they probably serve the jumping movement. What is striking here, although easy to miss, is the constant enveloping the body with a gelatinous shell, which is always covered with coarse, pretty regularly lying baccili are covered; it comes loose when the ciliates die off after it swells (1).

"Cristigera cirrifera Kahl, 1928. This ciliate is probably the organism described by Kahl (1930-35) and also found in other anaerobic marine habitats by Fenchel & Finlay (1991). However, we have observed that the oral infraciliature is unlike the typical Cristigera type. and its somatic infraciliature is also reduced (Figs 22,g;26). Furthermore, the oral polykinetids are not arranged as one kinetosomal file as would be the case in Cristigera, but as three files. A variable number of kinetosomes (usually four) are located between oral polykinetids 1 and 2 (Fig. 26). The paroral membrane starts at the level of the middle of oral polykinetid 1, and has 30-35 zigzagged kinetosomes with an indentation in its course at the level of oral polykinetid 3. The scuticovestige is in two parts: at the end of the paroral mem brane and below the bend of the latter. The somatic kineties are interrupted, leaving a large kinetosome-free gap between the anterior and posterior half of the cell. The kineties in the anterior half each consist of 9- 10 paired kinetosomes, although a few small organisms (- 18 um) have fewer. In the posterior half, some kineties are missing. In Cristigera cimfera from Mariager Fjord, the number of paired kinetosomes per posterior kinety varies, from one to three (Fig. 26). Cristigera cirrifera was found exclusively in anoxic water, in the depth range 16-25m in Mariager Fjord, Denmark. A specific characteristic of this ciliate is the anterior-posterior depression bordered by the last two kineties on the left side (Fig. 26). Similar indentations, aIthough less evident, have been described in other Cristigera species. There is either one or two macronuclei, and one associated micronucleus. The ciliate has a single caudal cilium, and cilia in the posterior half of the cell are stiff when the ciliate stops swimming. The entire cell surface apart from the oral area is covered with ectobiotic rod-shaped bacteria. These bacteria vary in length from 5.7 to 7.6 um (2).

1. Kahl, A., 1931. Urtiere oder Protozoa I: Wimpertiere oder Ciliata (Infusoria) 2. Holotricha außer den im 1. Teil behandelten Prostomata. In: Dahl, F. (Ed.), Die Tierwelt Deutschlands 21. G. Fischer, Jena, pp. 181–398.
2. Microbial diversity and activity in a Danish Fjord with anoxic deep water. Tom Fenchel, Catherine Bernard , Genoveva Esteban, Bland J. Finlay, Per Juel Hansen & Niels Iversen. OPHELIA 43 (1): 45-100 (September 1995).

This is one of three related observations of ciliates: two Stentor and its parasites Sphaerophrya from one water sample. This is an observation of parasitic ciliates (at different stages).

A water sample was taken from the bank of the Vuoksi River. The sample was stored at room temperature and observed one day after collection.

Related Observations:
1st Stentor https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195742375
2nd Stentor https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/195742590

Video: https://youtu.be/rWhk8K2WvFE

Video: https://youtu.be/9X78cstFh1c
Sampling location: The bark of a tree within the city limits.
Date and time of collection: 27 Aug 2023 at 10 AM
Date and time of observation: 27 Aug 2023 at 12 PM
The sample was stored at room temperature in a plastic container.

Video: https://youtu.be/OYakkMPRt60
Sampling location: The soil sample was collected from the bank of a pond on the Bagaryak River, near the water. The soil was wet but gradually dried out.
Date and time of collection: September 8, 2023
The sample was stored in a sealed glass container at room temperature.
On November 20, 2023, at 1 PM, a small amount of this soil was mixed with clean water.
Date and time of observation: November 25, 2023, at 8 AM

Trimyema minutum (Kahl 1931) Augustin, Foissner & Adam 1987 from a decomposing boiled wheat seed added to provide food for bacteria and hopefully generate a biofilm in my 2 week-old sample of the superficial intertdal benthos of a new sampling site, a small beach near the boat basin at Moneybogue Bay in Westhampton Beach on the south shore of Long Island. It is imaged in Nomarski DIC using Olympus BH2S under SPlan 100x oil objective with oiled condenser plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

The pyriform-shaped cells measure 20-24 um in length with occasional forms up to 32 um. The rounded posterior differs from most species of Trimyema which are spindle-shaped or tapering posteriorly. The subapical pharynx opening has a beak-like appearance. We can clearly see the three anterior ciliary girdles (another distinguishing character-many species have more than 3) and the large central ovoid macronucleus with closely associated spherical macronucleus. There are numerous food vacuoles containing large bacillary forms.

"Trimyema minutum nov. comb. Sciadostoma minutum Kahl, 1931 Diagnosis. Freshwater and marine. About 20 um. Rounded posterior and a prominent beak-like pharynx opening. Ectoplasmatic ridge (keel) more pronounced than in T. compressa, extending from the beak-like pharynx opening over the back to the posterior. Cilia longer and more rigid than in T. compressa. OCCURRENCE AND ECOLOGY. This species was found together with T. compressa and was first considered as a modification, but once an abundant population occurred in a ditch contaminated with liquid manure (Kahl, l93l). Wenzel (1961) observed T. minuta in the sponge Halichondria panicea from the Gulf of Naples. Tucolesco (1962b) recorded it twice from old, mixed infusions of the para-marine Roumanian Lake Tekirghiol. Remarks:. Kahl (1931) doubted the species status of this form and did not mention it again in his publication of the year 1935. Further investigations are necessary" (1).

Li et al compared T. minutum to their Trimyema foissneri sp. nov.: "Trimyema minutum possesses a beak-like projection at the oral opening, which represents a unique feature among the genus. Besides, T. minutum has a broadly rounded (vs. slightly narrowed in the new species) posterior end and fewer (18 vs. 26–32) longitudinal somatic ciliary rows, but lacks cilia (vs. cilia loosely arranged) posterior to the ciliary girdles (Kahl 1931; Baumgartner et al. 2002)" (2).

Baumgartner et al redescribed the species and reported a "thermophilic strain of Trimyema minutum isolated from the hydrothermally heated sea floor at Vulcano Island (Italy) and cultivated monoxenically on Marinobacter sp. and Methanococcus thermolithotrophicus. It can be propagated strictly anaerobically and is sensitive to oxygen: if exposed to air at 48'C all cells die within 60 min. It grows from0.45--7.2%o (dv) salt and at pH 6.O-8.0. The isolate is the most extreme thermophilic ciliate which ever has been cultivated, exhibiting an optimal growth temperature of 48 'C" (3).

"Description of neotype population from Vulcano Island" All observations are from enrichment cultures as described. Size in vivo 20-30 X 12-20 um, on average 25 X 16 um; slightly shrunken in silver nitrate preparations. Shape (lateral outline) highly variable (broadly fusiform, semi circular, almost globular), usually ovoid with anterior end bluntly pointed and posterior broadly rounded. Cells often wrinkled by more or less distinct, irregular ridges and grooves and up to 2:11 flattened laterally. Macronucleus and micronucleus in middle third of ceII, globular; micronucleus usually attached to, rarely widely distant from macronucleus. Contractile vacuole subterminal on ventral side, does not contract; excretory pore not recognizable. Cytopyge in posterior pole center slightly dorsad of caudal cilium, recognizable only in silver preparations, where it ap pears as a short, thick silverline or as an irregular, granulated area. Mucocysts invisible in vivo, but occasionally very distinct in silver carbonate and silver nitrate preparations showing a similar or the same pattern as the silverlines, appear as heavily argyrophilic granules 1-2 X 0.5-1 um in size. Cytoplasm colorless, contains many lipid droplets 1-3 pm across and up to 6 um sized food vacuoles with globular and rod-shaped bacteria. Movement very conspicuous because never swimming like an ordinary ciliate but shivering on the spot and slowly creeping between organic debris. Somatic cilia 7-8um long in vivo, arranged in about 18 longitudinal rows forming three oblique girdles and a semicircular oral kinety. Ciliary girdles commence ventrolaterally on right anterior surface and extend to ventral posterior body fourth, describing an almost full turn (c 330 deg.). Oral apparatus subapically on ventral side, oral opening ovoidaI, oral cavity broadly obconical and deep approaching dorsal side of cell and thus appearing as highly characteristic, bright spot at middle magniflcation (200-600x). Right oral wall pocket-like projecting at posterior vertex in swirling specimens; left wall irregularly dentate, bears single, semicircular oral kinety composed of an average of 21 cilia producing conspicuous tuft, reminiscent of urotrichid oral flaps" (3).

Baumgartner, Stetter and Foissner wrote in their thorough redescription of T. minutum: "The original description of T. minutum is very brief, incomplete, and lacks type material (Kahl 1931). Thus, the species requires deposition of neotype slides in an acknowledged repository. We believe our specimens possess all the characteristics of this species mentioned by Kahl (1931), namely: (i) size about 20 um (20-30 um in our material); (ii) posterior end broadly rounded (as in most of our specimens); (iii) surface with distinct cortical ridges and a beak-like projection at the oral opening (ridges and furrows are common also in our specimens; the beak is probably the pocket-like projection of the oral vertex or the protruding ciliary tuft formed by the oral kinety); (iv) relatively long and stiff cilia (as in our specimens, which hardly swim like ordinary ciliates); and (v) three somatic ciliary girdles (as in our specimens). The only signiflcant difference is the habitat: KahI (1931) discovered T. minutum in a freshwater ditch polluted by liquid manure. However, Wenzel (1961) and Tucolesco (1961) recorded T. minutum from marine and brackish habitats, indicating that it is euryhaline" (3).

" Distribution. Trimyema minutum is possibly a rare species because it has been reported only thrice. However, the incidence might be higher because such small species are often overlooked or not identified in routine investigations. The habitats where it was retrieved were remarkably different: Kahl (1931) discovered T. minutum in a ditch contaminated with liquid manure. Wenzel (1961) observed it in the sponge Halichondria panicea from the Gulf of Naples, about 300 km from the site where we rediscovered it. Tucolesco (1961) recorded T. minutum twice from old, mixed infusions of the para-marine Roumanian Lake Tekirghol. This indicates that T. minutum can adapt to different environments. In the hydrothermal areas at the beach of Vulcano Island T. minutum is very common (data not shown). Possibly, thermophilic strains can be found in different heated environments but no studies have been carried out yet" (3).

1. Revision of the genera Acineria, Trimyema and Trochiliopsis (Protozoa, Ciliophora). H. Augustin, W. Foissner & H. Adam Bull. Br. Mus. Nat. Hist. (Zool) 1987, 52(6): 191-224 (Trimyema pp 206-217).

Plagiopyla ovata Kahl, 1931 from a decomposing boiled wheat seed added to provide food for bacteria and hopefully generate a biofilm in my 2 week-old sample of the superficial intertidal benthos of a new sampling site, a small beach near the boat basin at Moneybogue Bay in Westhampton Beach on the south shore of Long Island. It is imaged in Nomarski DIC using Olympus BH2S under SPlan 100 1.25 oil objective with oiled condenser plus variable phone cropping on Samsung Galaxy S9+.

Several individuals are shown from this extremely well-fed population which range from 80 up to 96 um in length. The cell size and upward curving mid-region of the oral tube with the right side of upper oral lip slightly bulged forming a nose-like structure serve to distinguish the species from its closest congener P. frontata.

"Body size in vivo about 50–85×33–48µm; length to width ratio about 1.5–2.0:1 in vivo and 1.4–1.9:1 in stained specimens. Body rigid, non-contractile, dorsoventrally flattened, obovate, anterior end widely rounded, posterior end more or less narrowed (Figs 3a, d and 4a–c). Single macronucleus, globular to ellipsoidal, centrally located, about 20–30×15–24µm in vivo and 17–29×12–24µm in stained specimens (Figs 3g and 4d, j). Single micronucleus, globular, about 5µm in diameter in vivo and 4µm in diameter after protargol impregnation, closely associated with macronucleus, i.e. located at edge of, or slightly enveloped by, macronucleus (Figs 3g and 4j). Extrusomes slightly curved, 4–8µm long, distributed uniformly in ectoplasm and randomly in endoplasm (Figs 3a, e and 4e); extruded extrusomes slender needle-like (Figs 3e and 4k). Single contractile vacuole located near posterior end of cell, with two distinct pores located behind dense ciliary rows, pores observable in both living and stained specimens (Figs 3a, b, i and 4d, e)" (1).

"Striated band on dorsal side, starting at level of buccal cavity and extending anteriorly a short distance, then turning sharply backwards forming a loop about 7–10µm long, extending posteriorly parallel to somatic kineties, and terminating just below mid-body region (Figs 3b, i and 4f, i, o). Distance from anterior end of cell to beginning of striated band about 25% of cell length. In total, striated band about 34µm long, i.e. approximately half of cell length, consisting of numerous transverse ridges, each 2–3µm wide. Locomotion by swimming while rotating about main body axis, always spiralling to left" (1).

"In total, 56–63 monokinetidal somatic kineties (30–37 on ventral side and 23–30 on dorsal side), kinetids of ventral kineties usually more densely packed than those of dorsal kineties (Figs 3h, i and 4n, o). One or two dense ciliary rows (DC) in posterior region of cell on dorsal side left of cytoproct, about 6–21µm long, composed of 13–22 kinetosomes (for individuals with two DCs, only the left one is counted) (Figs 3b, i and 4o). Somatic cilia 6–10µm long, uniformly and densely distributed on cell surface (Figs 3a, h, i and 4a, n, o). About ten caudal cilia located along left posterior margin of cell, 8–10µm long, straight and oriented in a different direction to somatic cilia (Fig. 3a). Silverlines in irregular-rectangular grid (Figs 3c and 4i)" (1).

"Oral region formed by two lip-like structures, composed of dense oral kineties. Right side of upper oral lip slightly bulged forming a nose-like structure (Figs 3a and 4h). Slit-like buccal opening located at right-ventral side of cell (Figs 3a, h and 4a). Distance from anterior end of cell to beginning of buccal opening about 25% of cell length (Figs 3a and 4a–c). Tube-like buccal cavity about 85% of cell width, extending transversely to left and curving upwards in mid-region (Figs 3a, f and 4a–d, h). Distance from anterior end of cell to top of buccal cavity about 6–9µm. Oral ciliature more dense than somatic ciliature (Figs 3h and 4n). 53–61 oral kineties on cell surface and extending inwards (Figs 3f, g and 4m, n). Upper oral lip kineties 2–4µm long. Gap between upper oral lip kineties and somatic kineties about 2–3µm (Figs 3a, h and 4g, l, n)": (1).

"The genus Plagiopyla includes nine marine species viz., Plagiopyla binucleata Agamaliev, 1978, Plagiopyla cucullio (Quennerstedt, 1867) Wallengren, 1918, P. frontata Kahl, 1931, Plagiopyla marina Gourret & Roeser, 1886, Plagiopyla minuta Powers, 1933, P. mystax (Lynch, 1930) Nitla et al., 2019, Plagiopyla nyctotherus Poljansky & Golikova, 1959, P. ovata Kahl, 1931, and Plagiopyla stenostoma Alekperov & Asadullayeva, 1996. Among these, P. minuta, P. nyctotherus, and P. mystax are endocommensals of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus, whereas other species are free-living. Most species of the genus Plagiopyla (including P. ovata) have a single ovoidal to ellipsoidal macronucleus and a single spherical micronucleus. However, two of the known marine species have different nuclear characteristics, i.e. two macronuclei in P. binucleata, and one vermiform macronucleus in P. stenostoma, and thus can be easily distinguished from their congeners" (1).

"P. frontata differs from P. ovata in having a shorter frontal region section (region between anterior cell margin and upper oral lip) relative to the length of the cell (17% in P. frontata vs. 25% in P. ovata), a straight buccal cavity tube (vs. a buccal tube curving upwards in its mid-region in P. ovata), and the upper oral lip perpendicular to the buccal opening (vs. not perpendicular in P. ovata). P. marina differs from P. ovata in having a shorter frontal region relative to the length of the cell (17–20% in P. marina vs. 25% in P. ovata) and long ovoid (vs. ovate to obovate) body shape" (1). P. ovata is smaller than P. frontata. Nitla et al. 2019 emphasized the size range reported by Kahl of P. frontata versus P. ovata 113–174 um vs 73–79 um (2).

1. Redescription and SSU rRNA gene-based phylogeny of an anaerobic ciliate, Plagiopyla ovata Kahl, 1931 (Ciliophora, Plagiopylea). Ran Li, Wenbao Zhuang, Congcong Wang, Hamed El-Serehy, Saleh A. Al-Farraj , Alan Warren and Xiaozhong Hu. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 2021;71:004936 DOI 10.1099/ijsem.0.004936
2. 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, 2019, 186, 1–45.