cortex

Description:

Limnostrombidium (lim-no-stom-bid-ee-um). The body of Limnostrombidium viride is ob-conical (upside down egg) and living measure 50 - 70 X 40 - 45 (m. The equatorial region is marked by a girdle of extrusomes. The posterior half of the cell has a pattern of hexagonal colourless platelets. The cytoplasm is greenish or yellow-green because of the symbiotic algae. No contractile vacuole. The macronucleus is ellipsoidal and located in the mid-body. This ciliate swims quickly using 16 buccal membranelles. This specimen was collected in the plankton from Lake Constance, Germany. This image shows the posterior end of a squashed specimen of Limnostrombidium viride with the focal plane on the hexagonal platelets. Each platelet measures 3.5 - 4 microns. Differential interference contrast.