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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Discocelis

[ref. ID; 5694]
Circumscription; Small flattened gliding flagellates, heterotrophic, with two emergent flagella; asymmetric cell shape in part caused by an internal organic cytoskeletal "velum," marine; some similarities to apusomonads. (ref. ID; 5694)
Ultrastructural identity; Mitochondria with tubular cristae, with two flagella and two basal bodies giving rise to several microtubular ribbons. Flagella without hairs or other excrescences. With peripheral concentrically structured extrusomes. With finely striated thin organic layer (velum) underlying the cell membrane. (ref. ID; 5694)
Synapomorphy; Tubulocristate eukaryote with cytoskeletal velum. (ref. ID; 5694)
Composition; One genus, several species. (ref. ID; 5694)
References; Vors 1988. (ref. ID; 5694)
  1. Discocelis saleuta Vors, 1988 (ref. ID; 4872 Protista Incertae sedis)

Discocelis saleuta Vors, 1988 (ref. ID; 4872 Protista Incertae sedis)

Descriptions

Cell irregular discoid, flattened, with one visible flagellum that trails behind the cell. Cell vibrate slightly while gliding. (ref. ID; 4872)

Remarks

Appearance largely consistent with the description given by Vors (1988) and Larsen & Patterson (1990). Both report cells with two flagella as being the rule although smaller cells may only have one. No extrusomes (granules or punctae) observed along the sides or inside the cells (Vors 1988), but this feature may be delicate or even absent (Larsen & Patterson 1990). (ref. ID; 4872)

Measurements

Cell about 4.5 um, range 4-4.75 um. Cells previously reported to be 3-6 um (Vors 1988; Larsen & Patterson 1990). (ref. ID; 4872)