Drawing

Description:

Sphenomonas quadrangularis Stein, 1878. Biflagellated, gliding euglenid, rigid, 17 - 30 microns (average 23.0 microns) long and 8 - 15 microns (average 11.5 microns) wide. Cell shape ellipsoid, anterior end of cell pointed, apically slightly oblique, posterior end of cell broadly rounded. Pellicle hyaline with 4 longitudinal strongly developed keels, each containing a series of small paramylon grains. In cruciate the cell shape looks square with concave sides and roundish angles. The anterior flagellum is about one or one and a half of the cell length and the recurrent flagellum about one quarter to one thirth of the cell length. The centre of cell always contains a large hyaline inclusion. The reservoir is situated in mid-line in the first quarter of the cell with an associated contractile vacuole.