sessile peritrich ciliate. ID anyone?

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 10:06 am

I really need to settle down and study this family closer. The Zoothamnium/Campanella/Vortrcella tend to run together in my head. This spherical colony had branched, non-contractile stalks, and was attached to vegetation via a single stalk.

They were actively feeding, but the electronic flash gives an interesting view of the active wreaths of cilia.

Olympus BHS microscope, Olympus 20/0.70, Canon 350D, DIC with electronic flash.

olivier barth · Post by **olivier barth** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 11:24 am

Hi Charles,
wonderfull picture!!
perhap's Epistylis?
best regards

bernhardinho · Post by **bernhardinho** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 12:19 pm

Hi Charles

well, the non-contractile stalk excludes Vorticella, Zoothamnia and Carchesium.

The outshape of the cells makes we wonder if it really could be Epistylis. Your description of a sperical colony makes Campanella umbellaria rather likely. I also think I can see rather vaguely the Ma right horizontally under the peristome wreath, which is another hint.

Bernhard

Planapo · Post by **Planapo** » Wed Oct 31, 2007 3:03 pm

Charles,

I happen to have found a DIC photo and a description of Campanella umbellaria, and both matches very well with what can be seen on your photo, corroborating Bernhard´s ID.

Cheers,
Betty

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:12 pm

Yes I do believe it is Campenella. A bit embarrassing as I have actually posted a fair number of images of them in the past. Usually I find them "by accident" on a wet mount as single individuals or two or three together. This time I initially found them using a low power stereo as a rather large spherical colony... this sort of threw me off.

rjlittlefield · Post by **rjlittlefield** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 8:50 pm

...Campanella umbellaria...

Charles Krebs wrote:A bit embarrassing as I have actually posted a fair number of images of them in the past.

I notice that the very fine image of the individual at http://www.krebsmicro.com/webgal8/gal8_3.html shows a band of cilia near the base. I do not see anything like this in the current also very fine group photo. What's the story?

--Rik

Charles Krebs · Post by **Charles Krebs** » Thu Nov 01, 2007 10:43 pm

Rik,
They prefer to be "anchored" but when the environment tells them it's time to look for better conditions (or after division) they "break away" from these branched colonies and take off as individuals known as telotrochs. When this occurs you can often see a ring of cilia that has developed at the "rear" end (as seen in the other image you referenced). Then, when a suitable new home is found they again fasten themselves in one location.