The ciliate Loxodes magnus

[Bernd]

Loxodes magnus (Image 1) is much larger than L striatus (the specimen shown here is about 530 µm long) and contains 10 – 24 Müller vesicles. In the specimen shown here 16 Müller vesicles are visible and labeled with arrows.



Image 2 shows 7 Müller vesicles at the anterior (front) end of this ciliate, each with a sphere made of barium sulfate.



L. magnus also has a much greater number of macronucleus parts (10 – 24) than L. striatus. Eleven of them can be seen in Image 3, arranged in two rows.



Bernd

[Wim van Egmond]

Very interesting, Bern! I have seen this ciliate recently but failed to see these organelles. Ciliates are microbes wth great gadgets. I wonder what these organelles do. http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1 ... x/abstract

I guess these are soil inhabiting species? I found them in sphagnum moss.

Wim

[Bernd]

Dear Wim,

as stated in the post on Loxodes striatus the Müller bodies most likely are gravity sensors. They are positioned at the dorsal side of the ciliate. Due to the way these ciliates are flattened, the Müller bodies are only visible when the oral opening (the mouth) of the ciliates is on the left side. Then the dorsal side is up. Compare the two views of a single specimen in image 1. Also you can easily see the Müller bodies in image 2, but not in image 3. If you squeeze these ciliates very hard then you can also see the Müller bodies when the mouth is pointing to the right.
All Loxodes species are microaerophiles, so they live close to the surface of rotting mud where the oxygen content of the water is very low or the conditions are even anaerob. There these ciliates glide over the mud´s surface hunting for food. The specimen shown here have been collected in a rather small pond.

Bernd

[Charles Krebs]

Bernd,

Excellent photographs showing interesting details I've never seen before!

[Wim van Egmond]

Thank you Bernd. Silly of me not to read the other post. :-)

Wim

[Perl]

First Class work and Pictures

Regards