Vorticella

gpmatthews · Post by **gpmatthews** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 2:46 pm

Microscope: Zeiss Standard GFL
Objective: Leitz 40/0.7 NPL Fluotar ICT
Ocular: Olympus P15
Substage: Leitz ICT
DIC
Sample from Warnham Millpond 08-Oct-2006
Camera: Canon Powershot S50
ISO200, F5.0, Flash

This is a free-swimming individual, but as it did not appear to have basal cilia, I do not think it was a telotroch. The shape was exactly similar to the adult stalked form.

This individual spent a lot of time facing upwards and moving around in circles and this gave me an opportunity to try and get some plan view shots showing the cilia.

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Thu Oct 12, 2006 5:26 pm

A fantastic photograph Graham. It appears, beside the rather large vacuole on the right, I am assuming, that there is a nucleus just to the left of it. Could that be so? Excellent work

bernhardinho · Post by **bernhardinho** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:13 am

Excellent work!!

There are a couple of non sessile peritrichs, so I think you're right there.

Ken; I think I can spot at least three macronuclei ( I hope this is good English

)

Bernhard

Ken Ramos · Post by **Ken Ramos** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 3:27 am

Your english is fine Bernhard. I was thinking the same thing about the nuclei. Everytime I see a vorticella the nucleus is the first thing I look for, why I don't know. I suppose that it is just that it stands out so well in the lorica with its "C" shape and appears sky blue at low magnifications. I have always wondered how it would look from various angles and so that is probably why it is the first thing I look for.

bernhardinho · Post by **bernhardinho** » Fri Oct 13, 2006 7:53 am

Sorry Ken,

you're right. I forgot that almost all peritrichs feature c-shaped or sausagelike macronuclei. So the big vacuole is the contractile one and the others (that I took for ma) are food vacuoles.

Bernhard