Ref ID : 7801
Ian S. Zagon and Eugene B. Small; Carchesium polypinum: Somatic and Buccal Structure Analysis after Protargol Staining. Trans.Amer.Micros.Soc. 89(3):443-449, 1970
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A local population of Carchesium, from a polysaprobic freshwater habitat, possessed taxonomic characteristics of Carchesium polypinum (Linnaeus, 1758) (Peritrichia; Protozoa) except for its buccal structure. The buccal structure, as revealed in protargol silver preparations, was constant within the presently described population but different from that in protargol stained animals from Europe. The adoral polykinety (= PO) continued as PO1 and terminated at the base of the cytostome. PO2 began at the infundibulum and terminated above the cytostome between the juncture of PO1 and PO3. PO3 was 2 kinetosomes in width, with the inner kinetosomal row ending with PO2; the outer row joined PO1 and formed a structure 4 kinetosomes wide, ending at the cytostome. Lom's (1964) study revealed PO1 ending at the juncture of PO2 and PO3, and PO3 consisted of 3 kinetosomal rows which joined PO2 and terminated at the cytostome. Futher work must be done to establish the constancy of buccal structure within this and other peritrich species and to establish the reliability of buccal organization as a diagnostic characteristic. Morphotype parameters apparently vary as our techniques for resolution of detailed microstructure improve.