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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 4074

Barry J. Wicklow; Ultrastructure and Cortical Morphogenesis in the Euplotine Hypotrich Certesia quadrinucleata Fabre-Domergue, 1885 (Ciliophora, Protozoa). J.Protozool. 30(2):256-266, 1983

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The cortical development during cell division and the interphase ultrastructure of the marine interstitial hypotrich Certesia quadrinucleata is described using light microscopy and both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Membranelles are paramembranelles; postciliary microtubules from rightmost membranellar kinetosomes line the buccal cavity and separate parallel arrays of pharyngeal discs that border the cytopharynx. A large paroral membrane is present; an endoral membrane is absent. Alveolar plates lie within alveolar membranes except in regions where organelles and organellar complexes (cirri, the condylopallium, dorsal bristles, membranelles, and the paroral membrane) emerge from the cortex. Muciferous-like bodies attach to the plasma membrane in these regions. Dorsal bristles possess transverse and postciliary microtubules as well as kinetodesmal fiber like those of other hypotrichs. Lasiosomes are present. A unique bulbous structure -the condylopallium- protrudes from the anterior right of the cell. The morphogenetic pattern is euplotine in that cortical development begins in one latitudinal zone, and the oral primordium of the opisthe develops within a subsurface pouch apart from the frontal primordia. Microtubular bundles appear beside (later attached to) developing frontal anlagen; they disappear after cirri are in final interphase locations. Although possessing unique characters, Certesia shares a close phylogenetic relationship with Euplotes.