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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Stephanopogon

[ref. ID; 4898]
Species in this genus are multinucleate, have dozens of flagella arranged in rows, a wide apical mouth and upon this light microscopical information were regarded as unusual, possibly primitive, ciliates (e.g. Corliss 1975). On the basis of their ultrastructural studies, Lipscomb & Corliss (1982) showed that Stephanopogon is not related to the ciliates and compared it instead with flagellates, particularly kinetoplastids and euglenids. Cavalier-Smith (1981) stated, as a note added in proof, that he regarded Stephanopogon as belonging to the Euglenozoa, despite Stephanopogon lacking several of the characteristic of the Euglenozoa listed in the same paper. The view that Stephanopogon belonged in the Euglenozoa was also adopted by Corliss (1984, 1986). This position has been reversed by both of these authors (see Corliss 1994; Cavalier-Smith 1995 for recent schemes), however some workers have continued to include Stephanopogon in the Euglenozoa (Lipscomb 1985, 1989, 1991; Hausmann & Hulsmann 1995). (ref. ID; 4898)

[ref. ID; 5694]
Circumscription; Genus of marine flagellates with flagella in kineties on one or both faces, dorsoventrally flattened with apical flattened mouth with or without barbs. (ref. ID; 5694)
Ultrastructural identity; Mitochondria with discoidal cristae, flagella arising from unpaired basal bodies, each anchored by a cone of microtubules and linked to other basal bodies in a kinety by electron-dense strands. Bands of microtubules may also underlie surface of cell. Flagella without hairs, scales, or other excrescences, and without paraxonemal structures. Mouth with rods of microtubules arrayed in square-packed pattern and with membrane-bound bodies (extrusomes?) with densely staining contents. Larger extrusomes are associated with body surface. (ref. ID; 5694)
Synapomorphy; Discicristate flagellates, kinetosomes in kineties anchored with a basket of microtubules and linked longitudinally by nonmicrotubular ribbons. (ref. ID; 5694)
Composition; One genus, several species. (ref. ID; 5694)
Reference; Patterson and Brugerolle 1988. (ref. ID; 5694)
  1. Stephanopogon apogon (ref. ID; 4898)