Metacystidae

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Vasicola ciliata The specimen was gathered in the pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany). Sampling date 7/2018.Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg, Germany.Images were taken using Zeiss Axioplan with Canon DSLR Image under Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). Place name: Pond Birkensee near Rödelsee (Lower Franconia, Germany) Latitude: 49.71819841 Longitude: 10.27807474 Probe aus dem Birkensee bei Rödelsee (Unterfranken). Datum der Aufsammlung: 7/2018. Copyright Dr. Rainer Meisch, Würzburg. Mikrotechnik: Zeiss Axioplan, Kamera: Canon DSLR. Creative Commons License V 3.0 (CC BY-NC-SA). For permission to use of (high-resolution) images please contact postmaster@protisten.de.

Portrait of free-swimming Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869) that has vacated its lorica. Vasicola ciliata is a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (not seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. When swimming free the cell is more elongate. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetid kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell (seen in this image on the viewer's left). A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater sediment with strong smell of hydrogen sulfide near Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.

Anterior apical view of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (not seen in this image). The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). . The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. When swimming free the cell is more elongate. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetid kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater sediment with strong smell of hydrogen sulfide near Boise, Idaho January 2004. DIC optics.

Portrait of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is not seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell. A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater pond sediment near Boise,Idaho;43°19'07.45"N  115°27'31.99"W,  elev.4712 ft.;October2005. DIC optics.

Portrait of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869), a metacystid ciliate that produces a thin, transparent pseudochitinous vase-like lorica with shallow transverse corrugations (seen in this image). In the lorica the cell body assumes a more globular shape. The circular cytostome is located in the center of the truncate anterior end. It opens into a cytopharynx supported by indistinct trichites. There are three concentric ciliary rings around the cytostome, the innermost with a single ciliary row, the middle with a double ciliary row and a third ring of four ciliary rows. The uniform longitudinal ciliary rows are formed of dikinetids kinetosomes the alignment which gives the appearance of transverse ciliary bands (paratenes). There is a sparse tuft of long caudal cilia (only one long eccentric posterior cilium is seen in the similar genus, Metacystis and another metacystid, Pelatractus, lacks caudal cilia). Multiple food vacuoles are visible in the cytoplasm. The central spherical macronucleus is not seen in this image. The base of the lorica is partly filled with the expelled contents of defecation vacuoles. A single peripheral contractile vacuole is located in the posterior third of the cell. A large, clear terminal vacuole may occur but is not seen in this image. The cell often vacates the lorica when disturbed. Vasicola ciliata is sapropelic and feeds on sulfur bacteria. Collected from stagnant freshwater pond sediment near Boise,Idaho;43°19'07.45"N 115°27'31.99"W, elev.4712 ft.;October2005. Phase contrast.

Anterior apical view of the infraciliature of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869). The cytostome is at the base of a shallow funnel-shaped depressin. There are three groups of cilia encircling the cytostome 1)the circumoral kinety (yellow arrowhead) is composed of a single row of transversely oriented dikinetids 2) the anterior row of "membranelles" composed of a single row of longitudinally oriented dikinetids (blue arrowhead 3) the posterior row of "membranelles", a band of four longitudinal orietd kinetids (green arrowhead). The second somatic kinety is indicated by the red arrowhead. Longitudinal fibrils extend from the cytostome to the right of the kinetids. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Anterior apical view of the infraciliature of Vasicola ciliata (Tatem, 1869). The cytostome is at the base of a shallow funnel-shaped depressin. There are three groups of cilia encircling the cytostome 1)the circumoral kinety is composed of a single row of transversely oriented dikinetids 2) the anterior row of "membranelles" composed of a single row of longitudinally oriented dikinetids 3) the posterior row of "membranelles", a band of four longitudinal orietd kinetids. Longitudinal fibrils extend from the cytostome to the right of the kinetids. Stained by the silver carbonate technique (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

This ciliate was found in anoxic samples in relative abundance. No loricae were observed and there was a considerable range of size. The identity is tentative. Observations and image by Jeffrey Cole.

Metacystis (met-ah-sis-tiss) lagenula has a transparent lorica which is formed like an Erlenmeyer flask. The oral aperture is equiped with long pectinelles. There is a conspicuous caudal cilium and the contractile vacuole can be seen in the posterior third of the cell. This specimen was collected in freshwater ponds near Konstanz, Germany. Differencial interference contrast.

Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a loricate prostomatid ciliate. The body is elongate but quite contractile. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. There is usually a distinctive large clear protuberant posterior vacuole but this may be lacking (as in this case) leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The highly refractile material in the neck of the cell is an aggregate of cytoplasmic crystals. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape open at the anterior end with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahl’s species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The overlying cladocercan shell distorts the color in this image. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.

Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a prostomatid ciliate. This individual has fled its lorica and is swimming free. In the lorica the body is usually elongate but quite contractile. The free-swimming individuals are typically contracted. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. The distinctive large, clear, protuberant posterior vacuole is seen in this image but this may sometimes be lacking leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahl’s species description). Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.

Portrait of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a loricate prostomatid ciliate. The body is elongate but as seen in this image quite contractile. The anterior is bluntly truncate and the posterior broader and rounded. There is usually a distinctive large clear protuberant posterior vacuole as seen here but this may be lacking in some individuals leading to confusion with the similar genus, Vasicola. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahl’s species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along the paratenes. There is often a long laterally located posterior cilium (not seen here). The central macronucleus and posterior contractile vacuole are not well seen here. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape open at the anterior end with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahl’s species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. Said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.

Anterior detail of Metacystis recurva (Penard,1922), a prostomatid ciliate. The oral aperture is apical, surrounded by four rows of long peribuccal cilia. The kinetids of the longitudinal kineties line up with one another to form horizontal rows called paratenes. The cell surface may be transversely furrowed along these paratenes. The highly refractile material in the neck of the cell is an aggregate of cytoplasmic crystals. The lorica is a narrow curved truncate cone shape with 12-15 transverse corrugations (thanks to Martin Kreutz for his translation of Kahl’s species description). The lorica is nearly colorless in young individuals and becomes sepia color with age, presumably due to deposition of minerals. The overlying cladocercan shell distorts the color in this image. Loricae are often found inside the vacant shells of cladocercans. ). Metacystis is said to feed on sulfur bacteria. From sapropelic freshwater aquaculture tank near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.

In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. Phase contrast. 

In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. DIC.

In vivo portrait of Metacystis borrori (ALADRO-LUBEL & MARTINEZ-MURILLO,2003). The cell body (10-35 X 10-18 um in vivo) is transversely annulated (4-6 rings). The somatic ciliature consists of 22-30 longitudinal kineties, and patterned as 5-7 transverse kineties. The circumoral kinety is composed of kinetosomes closely spaced. The macronucleus diam. about 3-7 pm. The lorica (18-61 X 11-26 um) with the posterior end round to conical or irregular and with mucoid filamemts. Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.2004. DIC.