Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

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tlansing
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Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

#1 Post by tlansing » Thu Oct 14, 2021 3:56 pm

I saw the ciliated protozoan shown in the attached video several times and it took me a while to figure out what it was. Fortunately, I have the Foissner and Kreutz book of spectacular photomicrographs, and was able to identify it as the unusual colpodid ciliate Paracondylostoma setigerum. I was able to verify that this was indeed the correct ciliate from the publication of Foissner and Kreutz (Acta Protozoologica (1998) 37:227–240) and a thread in the German Micro-Tümplerforum (https://www.mikro-tuemplerforum.at/view ... toma#p1549); the later has superb photomicrographs, too. Although Foissner and Kreutz suggested this ciliate is rather rare, I have encountered it several times in a small pond near my home and was delighted to find it. Since I always try to collect some mud/bottom debris with my samples, I think this ciliate was found in the mud layer in the bottom of my collecting jar. This ciliate produces a mucilaginous tube, which it appears to abandon when disturbed (such as under the illumination of the microscope after a while). It will retract into the tube when disturbed; the ciliate can be seen retracting in the video, although the tube is not visible. Around the anterior end of the cell where the cytostome is located, there are a number of long, stiff cilia which have been suggested to be tactile to detect prey. The adoral zone of membranelles around the vestibulum can also be seen. Although Foissner and Kreutz observed zoochlorella algae in these ciliates (as did others in the German Micro-Tümplerforum (https://www.mikro-tuemplerforum.at/view ... toma#p2577)), I have not yet seen this. A very fascinating and beautiful ciliate!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQL90tMyOqA

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ImperatorRex
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Re: Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

#2 Post by ImperatorRex » Thu Oct 14, 2021 6:33 pm

Your video is a very interesting extension to the article that you have linked! Great job, thanks for sharing tlansing.

tlansing
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Re: Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

#3 Post by tlansing » Thu Oct 14, 2021 7:40 pm

Thank you, Jochen. It was fun to explore the information I could find about this interesting ciliate once I figured out what it was!

Javier
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Re: Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

#4 Post by Javier » Wed Oct 20, 2021 1:26 pm

Very interesting Ciliate and great job on the ID.

tlansing
Posts: 336
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Re: Paracondylostoma setigerum, an unusual ciliate

#5 Post by tlansing » Wed Oct 20, 2021 10:43 pm

Thanks, Javier!

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