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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Chaetospira

Chaetospira Lachmann, 1856 (ref. ID; 2014)

Class Polyhymenophora: Subclass Spirotricha: Order Hypotrichida: Suborder Stichotrichina: Family Strongylidiidae (ref. ID; 2014)

Synonym Stichospira Sterki, 1897 (ref. ID; 2014)

[ref. ID; 2014]
Elongate, flask-shaped body with long narrow neck-like extensible peristome region. Posterior end of body oval, contained within flask-like lorica into which complete animal can retract and occasionally vacate. AZM spiral and located along the edge of the neck region. A few spiral rows of ventral cirri down the body. Transverse cirri absent. Macronucleus in two parts situated in posterior body region. Several species have been described.
Quote; Colin R. Curds, Michael A. Gates and David McL. Roberts "British and other freshwater ciliated protozoa Part II Ciliophora: Oligohymenophora and Polyhymenophora" Cambridge University Press, 1983 (ref. ID; 2014)

  1. Chaetospira maritima Wright, 1862 (ref. ID; 1621)
    Syn; Stichotricha urnula Gruber, 1882 (ref. ID; 1621)
  2. Chaetospira mucicola Lachmann, 1856 (ref. ID; 1621)
  3. Chaetospira muelleri (mulleri) Lachmann, 1856 (ref. ID; 1621, 1629, 2245, 4609) reported year? (ref. ID; 1219, 1618, 3343, 4111)
    Syn; Chaetospira maritima Mobius, 1888 (ref. ID; 1621); Chaetospira urnula Gruber, 1882 (ref. ID; 1621); Spirotricha paradoxa Sterki, 1897 (ref. ID; 1621); Spirotricha paradoxa var. umvacuolata Ilowaisky (ref. ID; 1621); Stichospira paradoxa Sterki, 1897 (ref. ID; 4609); Stichotricha ampulla Kellicott, 1888 (ref. ID; 1621) reported year? (ref. ID; 4609)
  4. Chaetospira remex Hudson, 1875 (ref. ID; 1219, 1621, 1629, 2245) reported year? (ref. ID; 3343) or (Hudson, 1875) Kahl, 1932 (ref. ID; 4609)
    Syn; Archimedea remex Hudson, 1875 (ref. ID; 4609); Chaetospira entzi (ref. ID; 1219, 1621); Stichotricha muelleri Entz

Chaetospira muelleri (mulleri) Lachmann, 1856 (ref. ID; 1621, 1629, 2245, 4609) reported year? (ref. ID; 1219, 1618, 3343, 4111)

Synonym

Chaetospira maritima Mobius, 1888 (ref. ID; 1621); Chaetospira urnula Gruber, 1882 (ref. ID; 1621); Spirotricha paradoxa Sterki, 1897 (ref. ID; 1621); Spirotricha paradoxa var. umvacuolata Ilowaisky (ref. ID; 1621); Stichospira paradoxa Sterki, 1897 (ref. ID; 4609); Stichotricha ampulla Kellicott, 1888 (ref. ID; 1621) reported year? (ref. ID; 4609)

Descriptions

Hosed in lorica attached to substrate; peristome-bearing anterior part of the body narrowed ("proboscis"), extensible and contractile; narrowed part extending more than one-quarter of body length; mouth located at the base of the proboscis at the end of the elongated adoral zone of membranelles; somatic ciliation reduced to 3 short rows of cirri just behind the mouth, and few posterior cirri; proboscis with conspicuous tactile bristles; 2-8 macronuclei; 1 or more micronuclei; 1 contractile vacuole at the base of the proboscis. (ref. ID; 1219)
Flask-shaped, in a lorica; cytostome at the base of proboscis; a singe (2 or more) micronucleus; macronucleus in 2-8 parts; ingested diatoms lose color in 10 minutes; Bodo is immobilized in less than 1 minute; binary fission; the anterior individual remains in the lorica, while the posterior individual (averaging 46 um long) swims away and sooner or later becomes attached to substrate; among Lemna in fresh water. (ref. ID; 1618)
[Resting cyst]: Cyst stained in Heidenhain's iron hematoxylin within a lorica. (ref. ID; 4111)

Measurements

Length 60-250 um. (ref. ID; 1219)
60-200 um long; cysts pyriform, 35-55 by 15-20 um. (ref. ID; 1618)
Length of lorica 105 um. (ref. ID; 3343)

Chaetospira remex Hudson, 1875 (ref. ID; 1219, 1621, 1629, 2245) reported year? (ref. ID; 3343) or (Hudson, 1875) Kahl, 1932 (ref. ID; 4609)

Synonym

Archimedea remex Hudson, 1875 (ref. ID; 4609); Chaetospira entzi (ref. ID; 1219, 1621); Stichotricha muelleri Entz

Descriptions

Body elongated, very contractile; length 150-560 um when extended (Nusch); housed in tube-like smooth lorica (300-1,250 um long), more or less incrusted with detritus; with long flexible anterior proboscis more than one-quarter of body length when extended; somatic ciliation spirally in 3 rows (very similar to the genus Stichotricha but this is characterized by a comparatively short proboscis of less than one-quarter the length of the body); adoral zone of membranelles very elongated, running along the proboscis; 2 macronuclei; contractile vacuole located in the posterior vicinity of the buccal area. (ref. ID; 1219)

Measurements

Length of cell 175 um; length of lorica 315 um. (ref. ID; 3343)