Blepharostoma
Blepharostoma Schewiakoff, 1892 (ref. ID; 2014)
Class Oligohymenophora: Subclass Hymenostomata: Order Hymenostomatida (ref. ID; 2014)
[ref. ID; 2014]
Body ovoid to pyriform with narrowed anterior; very small ciliates (about 15 um long). Oral aperture lies in anterior body third; is pyriform in outline narrowing anteriorly, is coaxial with the body; and, except for posterior part, is surrounded by long (about twice the length of somatic cilia) thick cilia. Somatic ciliation dense with a straight pre-oral suture where the kineties arch to meet. Contractile vacuole in posterior body half. Macronucleus spherical and centrally located with an adjacent micronucleus. Locomotion is very rapid with frequent changes in direction.
Single freshwater species.
Quote; Colin R. Curds, Michael A. Gates and David McL. Roberts "British and other freshwater ciliated protozoa Part II Ciliophora: Oligohymenophora and Polyhymenophora" Cambridge University Press, 1983 (ref. ID; 2014)