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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Certesia

Order Euplotida: Family Certesiidae Borror & Hill, 1995 (ref. ID; 7354 original paper)

[ref. ID; 4074]
Certesia's divergence from Euplotes is shown by its many unique character: the condylopallum, mucocyst-like vesicles, presence of a complete left marginal row (as in Cytharoides), absence of caudal cirri, quadripartite nuclear configuration, and the mode of initiation and deployment of frontal primordia. These differences notwithstanding, Certesia bears a remarkable similarity to Euplotes. Both share distinct pharyngeal discs, alveolar plates, "rootlet fibers", a single membrane paroral apparatus, similar dorsal bristle organization including lasiosomes, an ovoid (although Certesia is more squared) cell geometry, and a subsurface pouch stomatogenesis. (ref. ID; 4074)

[ref. ID; 7354]
Certesia quadrinucleata Fabre-Domerque, 1885 is the sole members of the family. It is from the marine environment and differs from members of the Aspidiscidae and Euplotidae in having a row of more than three left marginal cirri. The AZM is well developed, and the paroral polykinetid is particularly conspicuous. A unique granular inclusion, the condylopallium, is found near the anterior end of the cell. (ref. ID; 7354)
  1. Certesia ovata Vacelet, 1960 (ref. ID; 4074)
    See; Certesia quadrinucleata
  2. Certesia quadrinucleata Fabre-Domerque, 1885 (ref. ID; 4074, 7354) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)

Certesia quadrinucleata Fabre-Domerque, 1885 (ref. ID; 4074, 7354) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)

Descriptions

This species is the marine interstitial hypotrich. Certesia is ovoid, 54-78 um long (average 67, n=50), 34-53 um wide (average 44, n=50), with a rigid cortex. The ventral surface is flattened; the dorsal surface is convex. Whereas the posterior end is rounded, the anterior end is oblique, sloping from left to right with the anteriormost (right) portion forming a cortical cleft from which a bulbous organelle, the condylopallium, protrudes. The left wall of the buccal cavity is lined with microtubules with descend into the buccal cavity from the membranelles to the right buccal wall. Four macronuclei are present, two along the right side and two along the left side of the cell. A micronucleus is associated with the anterior, left macronucleus. (ref. ID; 4074)

Comments

In 1960 Vacelet described Certesia ovata that supposedly differed from C. quadrinucleata in shape, mobility of transverse cirri, and in cell length. Because such differentiation in shape and mobility of transverse cirri can vary within populations of Certesia and cell length overlaps in C. ovata and C. quadrinucleata, I consider C. ovata a junior synonym of C. quadrinucleata. (ref. ID; 4074)