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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Colpoda

Colpoda O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 2013, 7706)

From Dr. Ouchiyama

Ciliophora: Colpodida (ref. ID; 7205)
Class Kinetofragminophora: Subclass Vestibulifera: Order Colpodida (ref. ID; 2013)
Suborder Colpodina Foissner, 1978: Family Colpodidae Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 7706)

[ref. ID; 2013]
Body distinctly reniform in shape, dorso-ventrally flattened. Right body edge strongly convex, left body edge concave often appearing as through a bite had been taken from it. A shallow diagonal somatic groove (not easily visible) originating on the dorsal surface travels round left side to entrance of vestibulum on the flattened ventral surface. Ciliation uniform in longitudinal or oblique orientated grooves. Several notches which denote ciliary grooves often visible on preoral part of left body edge. Caudal cilia may be present on some species. There is a horse-shoe shaped arc of closely-set cilia on the right of the vestibular entrance. Single rounded macronucleus with 1, 2 or 3 micronuclei. Single terminal contractile vacuole. Division takes place in thin-walled cysts, thick-walled protective cysts also formed. Could be easily confused with Wenrichia.
Quote; Colin R. Curds "British and other freshwater ciliated protozoa Part I Ciliophora: Kinetofragminophora" Cambridge University Press, 1982 (ref. ID; 2013)

[ref. ID; 4030]
There are 23 species presently assigned to the genus Colpoda, none of which is multimicronucleate. Among the colpoda-shaped ciliates, species of the genus Tillina also have several micronuclei. This latter genus is further distinguished by its large body size (>120 um), an elongate canal-like oral cavity, and by a unique set of ectoplasmic channels which converge at the contractile vacuole. (ref. ID; 4030)

[ref. ID; 7205]
Ciliates of the genus Colpoda are widely distributed organisms, commonly found encysted on most types of vegetation and in most soils. Few studies have carefully examined morphometric variation in the genus. Kahl (1931-1935) provided one of the most complete reviews of species in the genus Colpoda. He redescribed 7 species and described 10 new species, primarily basing his distinctions between species on variations in body morphology. Burt (1940) undertook a careful analysis of intraspecific variation in the genus. The major characters separating the species he studied were somatic length, total kinety number, and characteristics of the Feulgen-stained macronucleus. Lynn (1976, 1977) and Novotny et al. (1977) redescribed five common species using silver impregnation techniques and recorded variability within clonal cultures. Recently, Foissner (1980) provided careful drawings and descriptions of 10 species of which 4 are new. (ref. ID; 7205)

[ref. ID; 7435]
The molecular diversity within the D2 domain of the 23S ribosomal RNA molecules of Colpoda. (ref. ID; 7435)
  1. Colpoda acuta Buitkamp (ref. ID; 2365 original paper)
  2. Colpoda aspera Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1622, 2288, 3593) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 4609, 7118)
  3. Colpoda brasiliensis Foissner, 2003 (ref. ID; 4915 original paper)
  4. Colpoda californica (ref. ID; 1622)
  5. Colpoda cavicola (ref. ID; 1620)
  6. Colpoda cucullus (ref. ID; 191, 7118, 7205, 7589)
  7. Colpoda cucullus Ehrenberg (ref. ID; 3491)
  8. Colpoda cucullus O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 4861) or 1786 (ref. ID; 1219, 1622, 1629, 2245, 3593) reported year? (ref. ID; 646, 1618, 3342, 3698, 4842, 5624) or (O.F. Muller, 1773) Gmelin, 1790 (ref. ID; 4609)
    Syn; Colpoda lucida Greeff, 1883 (ref. ID; 1622); Kolpoda cucullus O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 4609); Tillina flavicans Stokes, 1885 (ref. ID; 1622)
  9. Colpoda discoidea Gellert, 1956 (ref. ID; 4030)
  10. Colpoda duodenaria Taylor & Furgason, 1938 (ref. ID; 4030) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)
  11. Colpoda ecaudata Liebmann, 1936 (ref. ID; 1629, 2128, 4609)
    Syn; Cyclidium ecaudatum Liebmann, 1936 (ref. ID; 4609)
  12. Colpoda elliotti Bradbury & Outka, 1967 (ref. ID; 4030) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)
  13. Colpoda eurystoma Gellert, 1950 (ref. ID; 4030)
  14. Colpoda fastigata (ref. ID; 1622)
  15. Colpoda flavicans (Stokes, 1885) Foissner, 1993 (ref. ID; 4861)
  16. Colpoda formisanoi (ref. ID; 4915)
  17. Colpoda fragilis Powers, 1933 (ref. ID; 4030)
  18. Colpoda henneguyi Fabre-Dom, 1888 (ref. ID; 1622) or Fabre-Domergue (ref. ID; 4842) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 7118)
  19. Colpoda inflata (Stokes, 1884) (ref. ID; 2128) or 1885 (ref. ID; 1622, 1629, 3593, 4522) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618, 2342, 3698, 4842, 4848, 5462), (Stokes, 1884) Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 4609, 4861) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191, 4332, 4851, 7205)
    Syn; Colpoda rouxi Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1622); Colpoda steini Roux, 1901 (ref. ID; 1622); Tillinia inflate Stokes, 1884 (ref. ID; 4609)
  20. Colpoda irregularis Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 3593) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1622)
  21. Colpoda lucida Greeff, 1888 (ref. ID; 4861) reported year? (ref. ID; 2128) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 7118)
  22. Colpoda magna (Gruber, 1880) Lynn, 1978 (ref. ID; 4609) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1629, 7118)
    Syn; Tillina canalifera Turner, 1937 (ref. ID; 4609); Tillina magna Gruber, 1880 (ref. ID; 4609)
  23. Colpoda maupasi Enriques, 1908 (ref. ID; 1622, 4861) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) or Enriquez, 1908 (ref. ID; 5918) reported year? (ref. ID; 3342) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 65, 191, 7205)
    Syn; Colpoda steini Maupas, 1883 (ref. ID; 1622)
  24. Colpoda ovinucleata Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)
  25. Colpoda patella Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 3593) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1622)
  26. Colpoda penardi (ref. ID; 1622)
  27. Colpoda praestans Penard, 1922 (ref. ID; 1622) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 7205)
    Syn; Tillina magna Penard (ref. ID; 1622)
  28. Colpoda quinquecirrata Gellert, 1955 (ref. ID; 4030)
  29. Colpoda reniformis Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 3593) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1622)
  30. Colpoda rotunda Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)
  31. Colpoda simulans (ref. ID; 1622, 7205)
  32. Colpoda spiralis Novotny, Lynn & Evans, 1977 (ref. ID; 4030 original paper) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 7205)
  33. Colpoda steini Maupus, 1883 (ref. ID; 1335, 1622, 1629, 1796, 2245, 2342, 3116, 3593, 7533) reported year? (ref. ID; 1219, 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 65, 3370, 7564), steinii Maupas, 1883 (ref. ID; 4609, 4613) reported year? (ref. ID; 3342, 3698, 3744, 4842) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191, 7205)
    Syn; Tillina saprophila Stokes, 1884 (ref. ID; 1622, 4609, 4613)
  34. Colpoda tripartita Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 4861) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1622)
  35. Colpoda triquetrus O.F. Muller, 1786
    See; Chlamydodon triquetrus (O.F. Muller, 1786) Kahl, 1931
  36. Colpoda variabilis Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)

Colpoda aspera Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1622, 2288, 3593) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 4609, 7118)

Descriptions

Cytostome about one-third from the anterior end; 14-16 meridians; anterior keel with 5 indentations; in fresh water. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

12-42 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)

Colpoda brasiliensis Foissner, 2003 (ref. ID; 4915 original paper)

Diagnosis

Size about 33x18 um in vivo. Body covered with a mineral envelope and Colpoda maupasi-shaped, that is, reniform with anterior half narrower than posterior. Macronucleus usually in posterior dorsal quadrant of cell, ellipsoidal, with single central nucleolus. On average 12 ciliary rows, distance between first and second row right of oral opening distinctly widened anteriorly; number of preoral kineties thus higher at left than right side. Oral apparatus in second quarter of cell, left polykinetid composed of about 5 kineties becoming slightly longer distally. (ref. ID; 4915)

Descriptions

When I first saw this species, it was rather abundant but misidentified as a "small, dirty variety of C. maupasi". Two weeks later, when I recognized it as a distinct species, it was already rare. Thus, the morphometric data are incomplete. Further, the protargol preparations are of only mediocre quality because the mineral envelope impregnates rather intensely and hides the ciliary pattern. Thus, the description should be refined by observations on other populations. Size 30-40x15-25 um in vivo, usually about 33x18 um. Invariably Colpoda maupasi-shaped, that is, reniform with flat oral indentation above mid-body and narrowed anterior half; no diagonal (postoral) groove. Macronucleus in rear half of cell, usually in posterior dorsal quadrant, about 7x5 um and very hyaline in vivo, except for the small central nucleolus, which stains red with methyl green-pyronin and impregnates rather intensely with protargol; micronucleus not unequivocally identified, probably attached to macronucleus and ellipsoidal. Contractile vacuole in centre of rear body end. Cortex flexible, special cortical granules (extrusomes) recognizable neither in vivo nor with methyl green-pyronin stain. Mineral envelope 1-3 um thick, composed of clay particles up to 3 um in sized embedded in a slimy matrix to which environmental organic debris and bacteria may adhere; stains bluish with methyl green-pyronin and provides cells with a rough, dirty surface. Cytoplasm colourless, usually packed with food vacuoles 5-10 um across and with many minute crystals conspicuously sparkling under interference contrast optics, as in many other small colpodids and marynids (Foissner et al. 2002). Feeds on bacteria, whose compact spores become distinct in late food vacuoles. Crawls clumsily on soil particles, but may also rapidly glide on microscope slide. Cilia about 10 um long in vivo, paired, except in rear body portion, where only the dikinetid's posterior basal body is ciliated; no elongated caudal cilia; arranged in an average of 12 rows, more densely ciliated anteriorly than posteriorly. Ciliary rows in typical Colpoda pattern with, however, some specializations; abut preorally, except for three postoral kineties, forming narrow suture extending from anterior pole to summit of oral opening. Right side ciliary rows slightly sigmoidal, distance between first and second row right of oral opening conspicuously widened anteriorly. Left side ciliary rows rather distinctly sigmoidal, more narrowly spaced than right side rows along preoral suture, producing a special pattern in that an additional row is intercalated between each two right side rows. Invariably three postoral kineties, leftmost kinety slightly shortened anteriorly. Oral apparatus small and thus inconspicuous, in flat indentation of second quarter of cell, posterior margin of left ciliary field on average 43% distant from anterior body end. Vestibulum conical, about 6 um wide and deep, vestibular opening and oral ciliary fields from conspicuous, circular pattern; pharyngeal fibres not impregnated. Left oral polykinetid indistinctly cuneate, composed of an average of five slightly convex rows becoming slightly longer distally, cilia of proximal rows about 3 um long, those of distal rows 5 um, do not form a distinct beard as in Colpoda steinii. Right oral polykinetid semicircular, probably composed of three or four rows of cilia projecting about 5 um from vestibular margin. (ref. ID; 4915)
[Cysts]: Resting cysts observed only in protargol slides, globular to broadly ellipsoidal, about 24x22 um on average. Wall up to 2.5 um thick and not impregnated, covered by the brownish-impregnated mineral envelope of the trophic cell, providing cysts with a rough, irregular surface. Central nucleolus of macronucleus distinct. (ref. ID; 4915)

Remarks

Colpoda brasiliensis highly resembles small specimens of Colpoda maupasi, one of the most frequent soil ciliates (Foissner 1993; Foissner et al. 2002), but is easily distinguished from that species by the mineral envelope (present vs. absent), the structure of the macronucleus (with vs. without central nucleolus), the arrangement of the preoral ciliary rows, and the number of somatic ciliary rows (about 12 vs. 15-40, usually 20-30) and kineties comprising the left oral polykinetid (about 5 vs. 9-10). Several populations of C. steinii, C. formisanoi, and Dragescozoon terricola also resemble C. brasiliensis, especially in body size and shape, the location and structure of the macronucleus, and the preoral ciliary pattern. However, all C. steinii populations have a highly characteristic spoon-shaped, comparatively large left oral polykinetid, conspicuously different from the rectangular or slightly cuneate, minute polykinetid of C. brasiliensis; all C. formisanoi populations have an acute posterior body end, distinctly different from the broadly rounded end of C. brasiliensis; and Dragescozoon terricola has the macronucleus in the anterior body end and a somewhat different preoral ciliary pattern. Of course, all these species, described in detail in Foissner (1993) and Foissner et al. (2002), lack a mineral envelope. On the other hand, they have conspicuous similarities suggesting a common ancestor and resurrecting the genus Paracolpoda Lynn, 1978. Probably, C. brasiliensis is more closely related to the Colpoda steinii group than to the C. maupasi group, with which it shares mainly body shape. (ref. ID; 4915)

Etymology

Named after the country in which discovered. (ref. ID; 4915)

Type location

Clayic top soil from a small island in the Amazon River near Manaus, Brazil. 04 degrees S 60 degrees W. (ref. ID; 4915)

Type specimens

1 holotype and 1 paratype slide with protargol-impregnated trophic and cystic specimens have been deposited in the Biology Centre of the Museum of Upper Austria in Linz (LI), Austria. Relevant specimens are marked by black ink circles on the cover glass. (ref. ID; 4915)

Colpoda cucullus O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 4861) or 1786 (ref. ID; 1219, 1622, 1629, 2245, 3593) reported year? (ref. ID; 646, 1618, 3342, 3698, 4842, 5624) or (O.F. Muller, 1773) Gmelin, 1790 (ref. ID; 4609)

Synonym

Colpoda lucida Greeff, 1883 (ref. ID; 1622); Kolpoda cucullus O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 4609); Tillina flavicans Stokes, 1885 (ref. ID; 1622)

Descriptions

Anterior keel with 8-10 indentations; 29-34 ciliary grooves; cilia mostly paired; macronucleus with a stellate endosome; trichocysts rod-form; usually with abundant food vacuoles; in fresh water with decaying plants. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

40-110 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)
44-50x22-30 um. (ref. ID; 3342)

Colpoda duodenaria Taylor & Furgason, 1938 (ref. ID; 4030) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191)

Descriptions

12 longitudinal ciliary rows; 3 postoral rows; 2 long cilia at the posterior end; long cilia project out from the cytostome along its posterior margin, forming a "beard"; a contractile vacuole terminal; macronucleus ovoid, with crescentic micronucleus; division into two to eight individuals in division cyst; but no division in trophozoite stage; bacteria-feeder; fresh water. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

20-40 (9-60) um. (ref. ID; 1618)

Colpoda inflata (Stokes, 1884) (ref. ID; 2128) or 1885 (ref. ID; 1622, 1629, 3593, 4522) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618, 2342, 3698, 4842, 4848, 5462) or (Stokes, 1884) Kahl, 1931 (ref. ID; 4609, 4861) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191, 4332, 4851, 7205)

Synonym

Colpoda rouxi Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1622); Colpoda steini Roux, 1901 (ref. ID; 1622); Tillinia inflate Stokes, 1884 (ref. ID; 4609)

Descriptions

Anterior keel with 6-8 indentations; number of ciliary grooves (or meridians) 21-24; cilia mostly in pairs; in fresh water among vegetation. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

35-90 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)

Colpoda maupasi Enriques, 1908 (ref. ID; 1622, 4861) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618) or Enriquez, 1908 (ref. ID; 5918) reported year? (ref. ID; 3342) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 65, 191, 7205)

Synonym

Colpoda steini Maupas, 1883 (ref. ID; 1622)

Descriptions

Cytostome about one-fourth from the anterior end; anterior keel with 5 indentations; 16-18 meridians; in fresh water. Bensonhurst strain has been reported to produce several types of cysts, due probably to nutrition, age and size of the trophic forms. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

35-90 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)
32-40x22 um. (ref. ID; 3342)

Colpoda spiralis Novotny, Lynn & Evans, 1977 (ref. ID; 4030 original paper) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 7205)

Diagnosis

Reniform ciliate ~60-120 um long, with width ~2/3 the length; 39-55 somatic kineties; prominent somatic groove, with 9-13 kineties, spirals posteriorly and counterclockwise from oral overture; in larger individuals, prominent preoral protuberance overhangs anterior portion of oral overture; oral cavity situated in anterior 1/3 of body; vestibular kineties as extensions of 4-6 somatic kineties course along right wall of oral cavity, parallel to its right border; interior to vestibular kineties, right oral polykinetid extends along right and ventral walls; left oral polykinetid composed of 23-36 kinetosomal rows, extends along dorsal oral cavity wall; cytostome in interior dorsal part of oral cavity; macronucleus 10-30 um long, moderately ovoid, contains ramifying nucleolus; 2-14 micronuclei, 2 um in diameter; contains ramifying nucleolus; 2-14 micronuclei, 2 um in diameter; contractile vacuole pore single and posterior; division within cysts yields 2-4 tomites; resting cysts present. (ref. ID; 4030)

Descriptions

Comments

Colpoda spiralis can be distinguished from all other congeneric species of similar shape and size. The prominent preoral protuberance present in larger specimens further distinguished members of this species. Moreover, Colpoda spiralis apparently prefers the treehole habitat. (ref. ID; 4030)

Type locality

Tree hole in Quercus emoryi Torrey (Black Oak) designated N-37-66, at 31 degrees 50'N Latitude and 109 degrees 30'W Longitude, near Park Headquarters, Chiricahua National Forest, Arizona, U.S.A. (ref. ID; 4030)

Holotype slide

The "type-specimens", USNM Slide no. 24489, has been deposited in the Ciliate type-collection at the Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., U.S.A. (ref. ID; 4030)

Colpoda steini Maupus, 1883 (ref. ID; 1335, 1622, 1629, 1796, 2245, 2342, 3116, 3593, 7533) reported year? (ref. ID; 1219, 1618) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 65, 3370, 7564), steinii Maupas, 1883 (ref. ID; 4609, 4613) reported year? (ref. ID; 3342, 3698, 3744, 4842) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 191, 7205)

Synonym

Tillina saprophila Stokes, 1884 (ref. ID; 1622, 4609, 4613)

Descriptions

Body more or less kidney-shaped; mouth near lateral margin, cytostome at the bottom of a ciliated vestibulum which bears a "beard" of cilia; the margin anterior to the mouth is indented by about 5 row of cilia forming the so-called "keel"; ciliation uniform except for 2 longer caudal cilia. (ref. ID; 1219)
Cytostome about two-fifths from the anterior ends, and with a bundle of long membranellae; five to six preoral ridges; paired and single cilia; one pair of long caudal cilia; twelve meridians in fresh water. The organism can live in various organs of the land slug, Agriolimax agrestis. (ref. ID; 1618)
Fine structure of the macronucleus of the active and encysted (dividing) forms. (ref. ID; 7564)

Measurements

Length 15-60 um. (ref. ID; 1219)
15-42 um long. (ref. ID; 1618)
20-30x10-13 um. (ref. ID; 3342)