Silverline system, ventral view

Description:

Ventral view of the silveline system (argyrome) of the hymenostome ciliate, Cintechilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. The oral apparatus is subequatorial. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right. The three obliquely oriented adoral membranelles (M1- M3 ) are seen here. M3 is small compared with M1 and M2. . Radial fibrils can be seen between the posterior part of the undulating membrane and the cytostome. The scutica (unciliated basal bodies associated with the stomatogenic field of kinetosomes) is seen as a short oblique line immediately posterior to the undulating membrane. Stained by the dry silver nitrate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield. Black and white.