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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Discophrya

Discophrya Lachmann, 1859 (ref. ID; 2013) or 1875 (ref. ID; 3475)

Class Kinetofragminophora: Subclass Suctoria: Order Suctorida: Suborder Evaginogenina (ref. ID; 2013)

[ref. ID; 2013]
Elongate body covered in a pellicle, mounted on a short stalk. The capitate tentacles may be either evenly distributed over the apical surface of the body or in several fascicles all over the body. There are many contractile vacuoles each with canals leading to the body surface. Usually found growing on aquatic insects. Ciliated embryo formed by endogenous budding. The above is the older description strictly in the sense of Lachmann (1859). However Matthes (1954) considers that the members of the genus have a definite lorica which can be absent in young forms and grow as the animal matures. The lorica may be cup-like and rounded in cross-section or flattened. The attachment is also said (Matthes, 1954) to be variable ranging from being a posterior stalk-like extension of the lorica to being a stalk proper. The flattened embryo which is ciliated ventrally is produced by invaginative budding. The later definition would therefore include species of the genera Periacineta and Peridiscophrya.
Quote; Colin R. Curds "British and other freshwater ciliated protozoa Part I Ciliophora: Kinetofragminophora" Cambridge University Press, 1982 (ref. ID; 2013)
  1. Discophrya astaci Claparede & Lachmann (ref. ID; 3475) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)
  2. Discophrya brachystyla (ref. ID; 191)
  3. Discophrya buckei (Kent) Matthes, 1954 (ref. ID; 4660) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191, 2573)
  4. Discophrya collini Root, 1914 (ref. ID; 4733) reported year? (ref. ID; 4000, 4016) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2573, 3689)
    Syn; Discophrya piriformis Guilcher, 1947 (ref. ID; 4733); Podophrya collini Root, 1914 (ref. ID; 4733)
  5. Discophrya cyathostyla Matthes (ref. ID; 7619)
  6. Discophrya cybistri (ref. ID; 3689)
  7. Discophrya cylindrica Perty (ref. ID; 3475)
  8. Discophrya elongata Claparede & Lachmann (ref. ID; 1618, 3475)
  9. Discophrya erlangensis (ref. ID; 3689)
  10. Discophrya guilcherae Matthes, 1954 (ref. ID; 4666) reported year? (ref. ID; 7619) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1555, 3689, 4660)
  11. Discophrya helophori (ref. ID; 3689)
  12. Discophrya hydroi Matthes, 1954 (ref. ID; 7640)
  13. Discophrya laccobii Matthes, 1954 (ref. ID; 4660, 7640) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3689)
  14. Discophrya lichtensteini (ref. ID; 2573)
  15. Discophrya lichtensteinii (Clap. & Lachm.) (ref. ID; 7619, 7640)
  16. Discophrya longa Swarczewsky (ref. ID; 1335)
  17. Discophrya minuta Nozawa, 1938 (ref. ID; 3475 original paper)
  18. Discophrya notonectae (Claparede & Lachmann) Matthes, 1953 (ref. ID; 4660) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3689)
  19. Discophrya piriformis Guilcher, 1947
    See; Discophrya collini (ref. ID; 4733)
  20. Discophrya pyriformis (ref. ID; 191)
  21. Discophrya robusta Nozawa, 1938 (ref. ID; 3475 original paper)
  22. Discophrya speciosa (ref. ID; 3689)
  23. Discophrya stammeri Matthes, 1954 (ref. ID; 4660, 7640) reported year? (ref. ID; 7619) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3689)
  24. Discophrya steinii (ref. ID; 191, 3689)

Discophrya astaci Claparede & Lachmann (ref. ID; 3475) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)

Measurements

Length of body 80, breadth 50; length of stalk 160 um. (ref. ID; 3475)

Discophrya collini Root, 1914 (ref. ID; 4733) reported year? (ref. ID; 4000, 4016) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2573, 3689)

Synonym

Discophrya piriformis Guilcher, 1947 (ref. ID; 4733); Podophrya collini Root, 1914 (ref. ID; 4733)

Descriptions

The body of adult D. collini is roughly pyriforms, ranging 16-50 um in diameter, and is anchored to the substrate by a non-contractile stalk and specialized attachment disk. Several retractile capitate tentacles (max. no. counted=20) extend from the cell. The tentacles are evenly distributed over the cell surface and measure ~1.5 um in diameter across the knob-like tip and 0.75 um in diameter along the shat of the tentacle. The tentacular knob is studded with numerous papillae, representing the abutments of the subpelicullar haptocysts to the tentacular membrane. The stalk is of variable length with a relative constant diameter of 2-3 um. Distally, the stalk terminates in a fibrous attachment disk. Curiously, the stalk and disk are easily separated from the cell body by gentle agitation. The cell surface appears slightly mottled but smooth when viewed in the SEM (instrument resolution < /_20 nm), with the exception of one or sometimes 2 pores of the expulsion vesicle. These pores (~0.5 um in diameter) have a pronounced lip elevated above the cell surface and are easily distinguished from the birth pore. The pores of the parasomal sacs are not resolvable in our SEM possibly due to the conductive metal coat or the cells' surface coat. The first detectable alteration observed, indicating an early stage in budding, is the appearance of a small cluster of depressions on the cell surface. Subsequently, these depressions appear to deepen and fuse, forming definite pores. Numerous cells examine at this time have variable numbers of pores, but ultimately one large pore is formed by fusion. This pore is the opening through which eversion of the bud will occur. Close inspection of the pore at this stage reveals cilia protruding from the orifice. The pore is also obscured by numerous fine filaments which may are present surface coat material. The bud is formed by the eversion of the embryonic cavity, i.e. during eversion the embryonic cavity is turned inside out. The ciliated walls of the embryonic cavity become the surface of the bud. The bud is elevated from the surface as it is being formed. The walls of the embryonic cavity appear to be un furling. As eversion proceeds, the surface of the parent becomes wrinkled probably due to the relocation of a large portion of its cytoplasm into the developing bud. It is evident, even before eversion is complete, that the larval ciliation is not evenly distributed over the cell surface. The bud is attached to the parent at its posterior end. The ciliary meridians encircle the anterior pole and adorn the ventral surface. Only 1/3 of the anterior dorsal surface of the bud is ciliated. After eversion is complete, a constriction furrow appears at a restricted region between the adult and bud and eventually the swarmer (=detached bud) is freed from the adult. Once free of the adult, the swarmer enters a brief free-living, non-feeding stage, lasting from a few minutes to several hours in this species. The first evidence of metamorphosis is the appearance of globular material at the anterior pole near the position of the stalk forming region. This material probably represent secretion produces used in the formation of the attachment disk. After the bud is anchored to the substrate by its disk, several events occur more or less simultaneously; the stalk is produced, cilia are resorbed, and tentacles are produced. Stages of transformation are note in particular the ciliary remnants and short capitate tentacles. As metamorphosis continues, cilia become less apparent and the cell body begins to assume the pyriform shape of the adult. (ref. ID; 4016)
  • Swarmer: The swarmer of Discophrya collini is kidney-form shaped. It is 40-80 um long, 20-50 um wide and 10-30 um thick in the dorso-ventral plane. The nuclear apparatus consists of a macronucleus and several micronuclei. The scopuloid appears as an impregnated structure about 4 um diameter located in the anterior ventral side. The infraciliature is formed by kinetosomes alineated in 16 kineties which run over the whole organism. Two argyrophilic parasomal sacs are very near each kinetosome. (ref. ID; 4733)

    Discophrya cylindrica Perty (ref. ID; 3475)

    Measurements

    Length of body 100, breadth 25 um. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Discophrya elongata Claparede & Lachmann (ref. ID; 1618, 3475)

    Descriptions

    Cylindrical; tentacles on anterior end and in 2 posterior fascicles; stalk striated; on the shell of Paldina vivipara in fresh water. (ref. ID; 1618)

    Measurements

    About 80 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)
    Length of body 100, breadth 35; length of stalk 200 um. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Discophrya minuta Nozawa, 1938 (ref. ID; 3475 original paper)

    Descriptions

    This is one of the smallest species of Discophrya. The body is cylindrical, and somewhat compressed laterally. The pellicle is tough, coriaceous and transparent. The stalk is comparatively thick and very short. It is thickest at the upper end, then it narrows posteriorly and is dilated again at the lower extremity. The macronucleus is ovoid and placed in the middle of the body. The contractile vacuoles are two or three in number, and are located one near the anterior, and one or two near the posterior end. The tentacles are 10 to 30 in number, as long as the body, distinctly capitated, and are arranged in two fascicles, an anterior and a median. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Comments

    The present species resembles both D. elongata (Claparede & Lachmann) and D. astaci (Claparede & Lachmann). (ref. ID; 3475)

    Type locality

    On the shell of Viviparus found in a pond in Kitasirakawa, Kyoto (May 1937). (ref. ID; 3475)

    Measurements

    Length of body 33-45 um, breadth of body 15-20; length of stalk 5-8 um. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Discophrya robusta Nozawa, 1938 (ref. ID; 3475 original paper)

    Descriptions

    This is probably one of the largest forms of Discophrya. The body is cylindrical and provided with a thick stalk. The stalk is fibrillose, one-third as long as the body, thickest at the upper end, then narrowing gradually to the lower end. The pellicle is tough, coriaceous and often incrusted with sand-grains and other foreign particles. The macronucleus is band-shaped, and branched irregularly. The contractile vacuoles are 3 to 5 in number, arranged longitudinally on either side of the macronucleus. The tentacles are distributed over the whole surface of the anterior end, from 50 to 100 in number, distinctly capitated and about as long as the body. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Comments

    The new species resembles D. cylindrica (Perty) in the feature of the tentacles and in the shape of the body. (ref. ID; 3475)

    Type locality

    On the shells of the Viviparus from a pond in Husimi (Rokuzizo), Kyoto (May 1937), Mizoro Pond, Kyoto (May 1937), and from Lake Biwa (June 1937). (ref. ID; 3475)

    Measurements

    Length of body 200-210, breadth 60-75; length of stalk 70-85 um. (ref. ID; 3475)