Cinetochilidae

Ventral infraciliature of Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. Stained by the Protargol technic, Wilbert modification (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Dorsal infraciliature of Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849. Stained by the Protargol technic, Wilbert modification (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Ventral infraciliature of the hymenostome ciliate, Cinetochilum margaritaceum (Ehrenberg, 1831) Perty, 1849 emphasizing oral apparatus. The oral apparatus is subequatorial. The first somatic kineties to its right and left can be seen arching around to meet just anterior to it. The other ventral somatic kineties are not well seen here. There is a semicircular undulating membrane on the right (red arrowhead). The three obliquely oriented adoral membranelles (M1- M3 ) are seen here. M3 (white arrowhead) is small compared with M1 (light blue arrowhead) and M2 (pink arrowhead). Radial fibrils can be seen between the posterior part of the undulating membrane and the cytostome (yellow arrowhead). 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 (green arrowhead). Stained by the silver carbonate technic (see Foissner, W. Europ. J. Protistol.27, 313-330; 1991). Collected from a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. Brightfield.

Key to Schewiakoff's abbreviations:  a - Anus b -- Sensory bristle cd -- cv -- Contractile vacuole ek -- Ectoplasm ml -- Left undulating membrane mr -- Right undulating membrane N -- Macronucleus ncl -- Micronucleus nk -- Food particle R -- Ribbed stripe

Dorsal view.  b -- Sensory bristle cf -- Ciliated groove cv -- Contractile vacuole ek - Ectoplasm N -- Macronucleus ncl -- Micronucleus R -- Ribbed stripe

View of right side.  Key to Schewiakoff's abbreviations:  cv -- Contractile vacuole ml -- Left undulating membrane mr -- Right undulating membrane o -- Mouth

Portrait of Platynematum sociale (Penard,1922) Foissner,Berger and Kohmann, 1994, a philasterine scuticociliate. P. sociale is the type species. Very similar in appearance to Cinetochilum. Ellipsoid in outline and dorsoventrally flattened and slightly arched. The somatic kineties lie between longitudinal pellicular ridges. There are short blunt posterior tooth-like projections. Kineties arch concentrically around the oral aperture in a horseshoe configuration. There is a long caudal cilium. Unlike Cinetochilum the inconspicuous oral aperture in P. sociale is subapical (right anterior in this image) rather than right posterior. A weakly developed undulating membrane and adoral membranelles are present (not seen in this image). The posterior macronucleus is spherical. The ventral contractile vacuole is located posteriorly. From freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho. DIC optics.