Apocryptopharynx
Apocryptopharynx Foissner, 1995/96 (ref. ID; 4875 original paper)
[ref. ID; 4875]
Diagnosis; Cryptopharyngidae Jankowski with long, clip-shaped intrabuccal kinety extending deep into the organism. (ref. ID; 4875)
Comparison with related genera; Apocryptopharynx differs from Cryptopharynx solely the shaped and length of the intrabuccal kinety. This might appear an insufficient character. However, the evolution of the intrabuccal kinety is obviously not correlated with that of the right buccal kineties and the body size, as evident from a comparison of C. setigerus and Cryptopharynx sp. 2 with A. hippocampoides: although being much larger than A. hippocampoides, Cryptopharynx sp. 2 has a short inconspicuous intrabuccal kinety, very much like C. setigerus. The epipellicular scales of A. hippocampoides are similar to the "ectoplasmatic inclusions" described by Dragesco (1960) in Ciliofaurea mirabilis, indicating some relationship between these genera. (ref. ID; 4875)
Derivatio nominis and nomenclature; Composite of the Greek words "apo" (derived from) and "cryptopharynx" (hidden gullet). "Pharynx" is a noun of variable gender, masculine or feminine. According to article 30a (i) of the ICZN it has to be treated as masculine. Kahl (1928) did not fix the gender when establishing the genus, but used a masculine termination for the type species, viz. "setigerus". Thus, Cryptopharynx is without doubt of masculine gender and Cryptopharynx multinucleatum Dragesco, 1960 has according to article 31b of the ICZN, to be corrected to C. multinucleatus Dragesco, 1960 nom. emend. (ref. ID; 4875)
Type species; Apocryptopharynx hippocampoides (ref. ID; 4875)
- Apocryptopharynx hippocampoides Foissner, 1995/96 (ref. ID; 4875 original paper)
- Apocryptopharynx wardi (Small & Lynn, 1985) Foissner, 1995/96 (ref. ID; 4875 redescribed paper)
Bisionym; Cryptopharynx wardi Small & Lynn, 1985 (ref. ID; 4875)
Diagnosis
In vivo about 50-90x30-40 um, elliptical with protruding oral area. Colourless. 2 macronuclei with single interposed micronucleus near centre of cell. Left lateral surface covered with mucuous material containing highly structured, globular epipellicular scales about 1 um in size. 16 somatic kineties in mid-body on average. Right buccal kineties extend onto left margin of buccal overture. Intrabuccal kinety consisting of about 22 dikinetids. (ref. ID; 4875)
Description
Size of typical specimens in vivo about 70x30 um. Shape ellipsoid, oral area usually distinctly protruding and deeply notched at posterior margin, producing sea-horse like appearance of anterior cell portion. Laterally distinctly, i.e. up to 3:1 flattened, oral area and cell margins especially so and thus very hyaline and flexible and often curled as described by Kirby (1934) for C. setigerus; anterior margin deeply notched by encroaching somatic kineties. Right side flat, left vaulted in central portion, producing more or less distinct sac filled with 1-4 um sized, brightly shining fat globules and food vacuoles containing diatoms and unidentifiable debris. Nuclear apparatus in mid-body left of cell median, macronuclei small (in vivo 5-6 um) as compared to size of cell, with one large nucleolus or several small nucleoli; rarely cells with 3 or 4 macronuclei forming a cluster. Micronucleus in vivo about 4 um in diameter, i.e. almost as large as macronuclei, compact and usually interposed between, rarely beside, macronuclei. A clear vacuole in postoral and sometimes also in subterminal ventral portion of cell; neither contraction nor excretory pores have been observed. Cortex bright, distinctly furrowed by ciliary rows and, respectively, cortical crests containing argyophilic granules hardly recognizable in live cells and grouped to small clusters at cell margins, especially between dikinetids of dorsolateral kinety; granules irregularly distributed in left lateral cortex, do not stain with methyl green-pyronin. Left surface densely covered with epipellicular scales embedded in thin, mucuous layer. Scales very small, i.e. about 1 um, detach easily from pellicle, do not stain with methyl green-pyronin, composed of ellipsoid, 2 to 4-fold perforated basal plate attached to pellicle and compact, globular body anchored at some distance to centre of basal plate via small rod projecting at top of globule. Cytoplasm bright, contains numerous rod-shaped bacteria, many of which were dividing; stain pink with methyl green-pyronin and occur also in epipellicular mucus. Movement moderately rapid, glides elegantly on and between sand grains and organic debris. Oral cilia about 5 um, somatic about 10 um long, those of dorsolateral and left lateral kinety bristle-like, forming spiny processes. Somatic infraciliature, ciliation, and fibrillar systems as described in C. setigerus, except for several morphometric characteristics and the right oblique fibres, which are either lacking or were not stained. No kinetids in postoral area, i.e. between and underneath buccal kineties and first somatic ciliary row. Oral infaciliature also very much like that of C. setigerus, with important differences, however. Buccal kineties extend not only along right and anterior margin of buccal overture but curve backwards along left overture margin, kinety 2 almost touching back end of kinety 1, which is shorter, i.e. ends in mid-region of left buccal margin. Curvature of buccal kineties causes remarkable alteration of ciliation, viz. dikinetids of right portion of buccal kinety 2 have ciliated anterior basal bodies, whereas posterior ones are ciliated in left branch. Intrabuccal kinety as described in genus diagnosis, extends obliquely posteriad and dorsad. (ref. ID; 4875)
Comparison with related species
As concerns the distinctly protruding oral area, A. hippocampoides resembles Cryptopharynx kahli Dragesco 1954 and C. multinucleatus Dragesco 1960 (many macronuclei scattered throughout cell). Whether these species belong to Apocryptopharynx can be not decided because nothing is known about their intrabuccal kinety. (ref. ID; 4875)
Etymology
"hippocampoides" because the oral area resembles the head of a sea-horse (Hippocampus). (ref. ID; 4875)
Type location
Mesopsammon of French Atlantic coast at Roscoff, W4 degrees, N48 degrees 50'. (ref. ID; 4875)
Apocryptopharynx wardi (Small & Lynn, 1985) Foissner, 1995/96 (ref. ID; 4875 redescribed paper)
Bisionym
Cryptopharynx wardi Small & Lynn, 1985 (ref. ID; 4875)
Descriptions
Cryptopharynx wardi, described very superficially and from protargol slides only, has, like A. hippocampoides, a long, lip-shaped intrabuccal kinety and is thus transferred to the genus Apocryptopharynx. (ref. ID; 4875)