portrait

Description:

Urceolus (urk-ee-owe-less) is one of the heteronematine euglenids, all of which are very metabolic and have an ingestion organelle. Urceolus is one of the more rarely reported genera and is distinguished by the flared anterior end of the cell. It has a single emergent flagellum and an ingestion organelle visible as two rods in the cell just adjacent to where the flagellum comes to an arching end within the cell. The emergent flagellum is thickened as it is in most euglenids. Mostly eats diatoms and detritus. Differential interference contrast.