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Portrait of the loricate marine heterotrich ciliate, Metafolliculina producta. Most folliculinid ciliates are found in marine habitats. Metafolliculina producta is greenish-blue in color. This large species resides in a lorica that has distinct annular ridges toward the fluted open end. The highly contractile cell withdraws instantly into the lorica when disturbed (as seen in this image). The lorica is angulated but this feature is often not apparent due to compression by the coverslip. When fully protruded from the lorica the wing-like extensions of the peristomal area are evident. The cytostome lies at the central confluence of the peristomal wings. The somatic ciliation consists of uniform (holotrichous) longitudinal kineties. The genus Metafolliculina is distinguished from the similar Folliculina by its moniliform macronucleus (not well seen in this image). Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho February 2004. DIC optics.
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Blepharisma, pink heterotrich ciliate. From a freshwater pond near Boise, Idaho.
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Infraciliature (dorsal side) of the medium-size pigmented heterotrich ciliate, Blepharisma lateritium (Ehrenberg,1831; Stein, 1859). The cell is teardrop-shaped and pale pink in color. The peristome extends about 2/3 the cell length along the left side. The peristome is bordered on the left by serial polykinetids forming an adoral zone of membranelles and on the right by a narrow undulating membrane which is less conspicuous. The longitudinal somatic kineties bend to the left margin on the dorsal surface (seen here). The single ellipsoid to spherical macronucleus is located left of midline in the cell center. There are multiple very small micronuclei which are difficult to discern in vivo. These become swollen and densely stained in silver impregnated specimens (seen here at edge of macronucleus). Stained by silver carbonate techniique (see Foissner, W.Europ. J. Protistol.27,313-330;1991). Collected from an artificial freshwater dredge pond near Boise, Idaho October 2004. Brightfield optics.
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Ventral view of the marine spirotrich ciliate, Condylostoma psammophilum (Bock,1952) showing slightly spiraling longitudinal somatic kineties.Collected from a commercial saltwater aquarium in Boise, Idaho.March 2006.DIC.
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Folliculina has mounted its lorica upside down on the Hyponeuston, the aquatic area closely attached to the water surface. Obviously the water´s surface tension was more attractive than the petri dish or bunches of filamentous algae. Sample from a little creek near Kiel. This image was taken using Zeiss Universal with Olympus C7070 CCD camera.
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Tracheloraphis (track-ell-owe-ray-fiss) is a karyorelict ciliate. It is one of several genera in which most species have adopted a long thin contractile body form and the identification of this cell is tentative. Mostly found in marine sediments, living within the spaces between sand grains. The anterior end is slightly expanded and thought by most but not all to the site of the mouth, others think these cells feed through the ventral surface. Phase contrast.
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Condylostoma patens.
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Trachelocerca phoenicopterus.
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Ribadelago de Franco, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Trachelocerca chinensis is marine karyorelictid ciliate. This ciliate was collected from a mangrove wetland (2115'N 11037'E) in Zhanjiang, China. Image taken by Ying Yan.
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Ribadelago, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Corporales, La Rioja, Spain
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Anigsteinia clarissima is a heterotrich ciliate found in the intertidal zone. Bright field. This ciliate was isolated from f Silver Beach, Qingdao (3555N, 12012E), China, on May 7, 2012. Image taken by Ying Yan.
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Galende, Castille and Leon, Spain
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Canencia, Madrid, Spain
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Rumoroso, Cantabria, Spain
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Alfaro, La Rioja, Espaa
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Prototrachelocerca fasciolata is a marine karyorelictid ciliate. It was collected from a sandy beach near Qingdao (3555N, 12012E) on Apirl 18, 2012. Image taken by Ying Yan.
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Mohedas de la Jara, Castille la Mancha, Spain
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Villoslada de Cameros, La Rioja, Espaa
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Trachelocerca orientalis is a marine ciliate belonging to class Karyorelictea. It was collected from the intertidal zone (3605N, 12027E) in Qingdao, China on April 8, 202. Image taken by Ying Yan.
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Peniscola, Valencia, Spain
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Loxodes striatus is a fresh-water karyorelictid ciliate. This ciliate was collected from a local pond (3604'N 12020'E) in Qingdao, China. Image taken by Ying Yan. Differential interference contrast.