Cinetochilidae

[taxonomy:genus=Cinetochilum] A scuticociliate with ventral ciliature and a flattened-oval body. It swims around and also uses its cilia to "walk" on substrates, as this video shows. Three long "tail" (caudal) cilia.

Portrait (ventral view) of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts (visible here between the somatic kineties)give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly (seen well here). These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. DIC. 

Portrait (lateral view) of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3 (not visible in this view). There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium (visible here)and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis.The genus Sphenostomella is monotypic to date. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly. These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. DIC. 

Ventral infraciliature of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly. These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005.Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brighfield. 

Ventral infraciliature of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties.The anterior apex (frontal plate) is unciliated (seen here). There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly. These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005.Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield. 

Portrait (ventral view) of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1).the anterior apex (frontal plate) is unciliated.There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly. These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005.Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brighfield. 

Silverline system (ventrolateral view) of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome (visible here). There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. The cleft-like cytoproct (visible here as a thick dark longitudinal line)is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole (visible here) and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly (seen here anterolateral to the peristome). There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils (seen here)radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. Between every two primary meridians (heavier longitudinal black lines) there is one secondary meridian. The primary and secondary meridians are connected at irregular intervals by transverse silverlines. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. stained by the dry silver nitrate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991).Brightfield. 

Discharged extrusomes of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. Here the ribbon-like discharged extrusomes (?mucocysts) are visible posterior to the cell. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. phase contrast. 

Ventral infraciliature of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly. These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005.Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brighfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Grolière, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly (seen well here). These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol., 27:313-330;1991). Brightfield.

Portrait (ventral view) of the cinetochilid scuticociliate, Sphenostomella vernalis (Dragesco and Groliere, 1969) Jankowski, 1980 (synonym: Sathrophilus vernalis). The cell is elongate ovoid. The many large mucocysts (visible here between the somatic kineties)give the cell a yellowish-orange color when viewed by brightfield illumination. The roughly triangular peristome is in the anterior 1/3. There are 31-34 longitudinal somatic kineties. There are two left postoral kineties and one right postoral kinety (K1). There is a cluster of unciliated kinetids (scutica) adjacent to the posterior margin of the peristome. There is a short preoral suture and a longer broader postoral suture. There is a long caudal cilium. Groliere states that a long caudal cilium was absent in his population of S. vernalis (Groliere, C-A., J. Protozool. 20 (3): 369-376, 1973). Since all individuals collected from several different sites near Boise, Idaho had a long caudal cilium and otherwise were indistinguishable from the description by Groliere I have designated this species as S. vernalis. The cleft-like cytoproct is located in the ventral midline in the posterior suture between the excretory pore of the contractile vacuole and the posterior margin of the peristome. There are prominent transverse fibrils between the 2nd and 3rd right somatic kineties as they diverge anteriorly (seen well here). These are stained in silver nitrate preparations. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right margin of the peristome. There are three adoral membranelles. The M1 is an obliquely oriented group of 3 kineties. Its hook-shaped anterior end nearly reaches the anterior end of the undulating membrane. The M2 lies parallel to and is longer than M1 and also has a hook-shaped group of kinetids at its anterior end. M3 has broad “U” shape directed anteriorly. Fibrils radiate from the posterior margin of the peristome toward the cytostome. There is a single central spherical macronucleus and an adjacent micronucleus. Collected from polysaprobic standing ditchwater at several different sites near Boise, Idaho March 2005. DIC.

Cinetochilum (sigh-neat-owe-kai-lum) is a small bacterivorous ciliate, common and widely distributed. Differential interference contrast. Material from Nymph Creek and Nymph Lake, thermal sites within Yellowstone National Park, photograph by Kathy Sheehan and David Patterson.

Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849, small rounded dorsoventrally flattened hymenostome ciliate. Cilia are located in shallow ventral furrows. Prominent oral aperture with small membranelles is seen on the organism's right posteriorly. Usually with long caudal cilia. Nucleus is central. Common. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Oblique illumination

Dorsal view of the silverline system of the hymenostome ciliate, Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Pert, 1849.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.

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.