Nassophorea

Nassula microstoma.

Description: English: A picture of the ciliate Nassula, with macronucleus,contractile vacuole and cyrtos (cytopharyngeal basket) identified. Date: 7 October 2011. Source: Own work. Author: Deuterostome.

Description: English: Nassula, showing bright colours of partially digested cyanobacteria. Date: 9 February 2013, 15:06:07. Source: Own work. Author: Deuterostome.

Description: English: Nassula ornata, showing details of cytopharyngeal basket and macronucleus. Date: 9 February 2013, 14:56:17. Source: Own work. Author: Deuterostome.

Description: English: Nassula ciliate undergoing binary fission. Date: 8 October 2011. Source: Own work. Author: Deuterostome.

Description: Drepanomonas sp - 400x. Date: 15 February 2014, 16:06. Source: Drepanomonas sp - 400x. Author: Picturepest.

Description: Drepanomonas sp. - 400x. Date: 31 October 2013, 23:55. Source: Drepanomonas sp. - 400x. Author: Picturepest.

Pseudomicrothorax dubius In the upper right the oral basket is visible which is the special attribute of the ciliate group called cyrtophorids. This feeding organell is specialized to catch and disaggregate filamentous cyanobacteria like Oscillatoria. Scale bar indicates 25 µm. Protists culture of FU Berlin. Images were taken using Zeiss Universal with Olympus C7070 CCD camera.Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: n. a. Latitude: 0 Longitude: 0 Oben rechts ist der korbförmige Mundapparat sichtbar, die besondere Eigenschaft des Ciliaten Gruppe namens Cyrtophoriden (Korbträger). Dieses Organell zur Nahrungsaufnahme ist darauf spezialisiert, filamentöse Cyanobakterien wie Oscillatoria aufzunehmen und in der Zone des Korbes in Einzelzellen zu zerlegen. Der Messbalken markiert eine Länge von 25 µm. Aus Kulturmaterial der FU Berlin. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Universal, Kamera: Olympus C7070. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Mahide, Castille and Leon, Spain

Logroo, La Rioja, Espaa

Trefacio, Castilla y Len, Espaa

Galende, Castille and Leon, Spain

Arnedillo, La Rioja, Spain

Arnedillo, La Rioja, Spain

Ventral view of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. The cytostome is in the anterior 1/5 of the cell in a shallow depression. It is supported by a prominent basket of obliquely oriented cytopharyngeal trichites. The somatic ciliature consists of about 32 to 26 longitudinal kineties. On the ventral surface the right kineties arch to the left anterior to the cytostome to terminate on a short but wide preoral suture. The straight left kineties terminate on this suture to the left of the cytostome. There is a short curved right paraoral membrane. There are three approximately rectangular paroral polykineties. The most anterior (M1) is also least conspicuous. It is obliquely oriented in the preoral suture. The middle membrane (M2) is to the left of the cytostome and almost perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. The most posterior membranelle (M3) is posterior to the cytostome (often obscured by the trichites in silver carbonate preparations) almost parallel to the long axis of the cell. These three distinctive small polykineties distinguish Furgasonia from other nassulid genera. The spherical macronucleus and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. The single contractile vacuole (visible here posterior to the cytopharyngeal basket) is located in the cell center with an excretory pore on its ventral aspect. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faur�-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967.) Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. DIC. 

Dorsal view of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faur�-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967.) Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. DIC.

Ventral anterior view of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. The cytostome is in the anterior 1/5 of the cell in a shallow depression. It is supported by a prominent basket of obliquely oriented cytopharyngeal trichites. The somatic ciliature consists of about 32 to 26 longitudinal kineties. On the ventral surface the right kineties arch to the left anterior to the cytostome to terminate on a short but wide preoral suture. The straight left kineties terminate on this suture to the left of the cytostome. There is a short curved right paraoral membrane. There are three approximately rectangular paroral polykineties. The most anterior (M1) is obliquely oriented in the preoral suture. The middle membrane (M2) is to the left of the cytostome and almost perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. The most posterior membranelle (M3) is posterior to the cytostome (often obscured by the trichites in silver carbonate preparations) almost parallel to the long axis of the cell. These three distinctive small polykineties distinguish Furgasonia from other nassulid genera. The spherical macronucleus and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. The single contractile vacuole (visible here posterior to the cytopharyngeal basket) is located in the cell center with an excretory pore on its ventral aspect. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faurè-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967). Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. The cytostome is in the anterior 1/5 of the cell in a shallow depression. It is supported by a prominent basket of obliquely oriented cytopharyngeal trichites. The somatic ciliature consists of about 32 to 26 longitudinal kineties. On the ventral surface the right kineties arch to the left anterior to the cytostome to terminate on a short but wide preoral suture. The straight left kineties terminate on this suture to the left of the cytostome. There is a short curved right paraoral membrane. There are three approximately rectangular paroral polykineties. The most anterior (M1) is obliquely oriented in the preoral suture. The middle membrane (M2) is to the left of the cytostome and almost perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. The most posterior membranelle (M3) is posterior to the cytostome (often obscured by the trichites in silver carbonate preparations) almost parallel to the long axis of the cell. These three distinctive small polykineties distinguish Furgasonia from other nassulid genera. The spherical macronucleus and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. The single contractile vacuole (visible here posterior to the cytopharyngeal basket) is located in the cell center with an excretory pore on its ventral aspect. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faurè-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967). Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. The cytostome is in the anterior 1/5 of the cell in a shallow depression. It is supported by a prominent basket of obliquely oriented cytopharyngeal trichites. The somatic ciliature consists of about 32 to 26 longitudinal kineties. On the ventral surface the right kineties arch to the left anterior to the cytostome to terminate on a short but wide preoral suture. The straight left kineties terminate on this suture to the left of the cytostome. There is a short curved right paraoral membrane. There are three approximately rectangular paroral polykineties. The most anterior (M1) is obliquely oriented in the preoral suture. The middle membrane (M2) is to the left of the cytostome and almost perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. The most posterior membranelle (M3) is posterior to the cytostome (often obscured by the trichites in silver carbonate preparations) almost parallel to the long axis of the cell. These three distinctive small polykineties distinguish Furgasonia from other nassulid genera. The spherical macronucleus and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. The single contractile vacuole (visible here posterior to the cytopharyngeal basket) is located in the cell center with an excretory pore on its ventral aspect. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faurè-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967). Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. Silver carbonate stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Discharged extrusomes (mucocysts) of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The spherical macronucleus (stained dark green here)and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpelicular extrusomes (mucocysts). This preparation demonstartes the discharged extrusomes and mucus surrounding the cell. Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. Methyl green Pyronin-Y stain (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. The cytostome is in the anterior 1/5 of the cell in a shallow depression. It is supported by a prominent basket of obliquely oriented cytopharyngeal trichites. The somatic ciliature consists of about 32 to 26 longitudinal kineties. On the ventral surface the right kineties arch to the left anterior to the cytostome to terminate on a short but wide preoral suture. The straight left kineties terminate on this suture to the left of the cytostome. There is a short curved right paraoral membrane. There are three approximately rectangular paroral polykineties (nassulid organelles). The most anterior (M1,long arrow) is obliquely oriented in the preoral suture. The middle membrane (M2, medium arrow) is to the left of the cytostome and almost perpendicular to the long axis of the cell. The most posterior membranelle (M3, short arrow) is posterior to the cytostome, almost parallel to the long axis of the cell. These three distinctive small polykineties distinguish Furgasonia from other nassulid genera. The spherical macronucleus and adjacent micronucleus are slightly posterior to the equator. The single contractile vacuole (visible here posterior to the cytopharyngeal basket) is located in the cell center with an excretory pore on its ventral aspect. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Fauré-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967). Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. Silver carbonate (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield. This image was taken by William Bourland. He now uses a Zeiss Axioskop 2 with a Flex camera (Diagnostic Instruments).

Dorsal view of the nassulid ciliate, Furgasonia trichocystis (Stokes, 1894) Jankowski, 1964. Synonym: Cyclogramma. The cell shape is a slightly dorsoventrally flattened ellipsoid. The left side is flattened and the right side slightly convex. There is a prominent layer of fusiform subpellicular extrusomes (mucocysts). The cytoplasm is colorless in these bactivorous individuals. It is unclear whether this species is synonymous with F. rubens which is orange to blue colored due to ingested cyanobacteria. Morphologically the two species are quite similar aside from this coloration (see Faur�-Fremiet, E. Le Genre Cyclogramma, Perty, 1852. J. Protozool. 14: 456-464, 1967.) Collected from a temporary rainwater pool with abundant decaying grass near Boise, Idaho. March, 2005. DIC.