portrait

Description:

Caenomorpha (seen-owe-morph-a) uniserialis. Body medusoid with 1 to 3 posterior spines. Without somatic cilia except for a band which lies near the membranelles. The membranelles form a long spiral that encircles the body and ends in posteriorly situated cytostome. A contractile vacuole is located at the base of the spine. Symbiotic (methanogenic) bacteria occur in the cytoplasm. Move very quickly, with a jerky rotation. Between 1-4 macronuclei but always with only 1 micronucleus. Common in anoxic habitats. This slightly squashed specimen of Caenomorpha uniserialis was collected in a bog near Konstanz, Germany. The body of C. uniserialis is rather spherical. The short spine has a widened middle part. The cell is 72 microns long. Differental interference contrast.