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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Enchelydium

Enchelydium Kahl, 1930 (ref. ID; 2013)

Class Kinetofragminophora: Subclass Gymnostomata: Order Haptorida: Family Spathidiidae (ref. ID; 2013)

[ref. ID; 2013]
Body shape elongate to ovoid, rounded in cross-section, slightly contractile. Anterior end truncated transversely with definite swollen apical ridge which encircles circular or elongate oral aperture. The aperture is armed with trichocysts and appears to open when swimming. Ciliation uniform with row of dorsal bristles. One species constructs gelatinous lorica in which it lives. 1 or 2 macronuclei present which may be ovoid to elongate. Single posterior contractile vacuole.
Quote; Colin R. Curds "British and other freshwater ciliated protozoa Part I Ciliophora: Kinetofragminophora" Cambridge University Press, 1982 (ref. ID; 2013)
  1. Enchelydium alpinum Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)
  2. Enchelydium amphora Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1335, 1619, 3540)
  3. Enchelydium clepsiniforme Penard, 1922 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540)
  4. Enchelydium fusidens Kahl, 1930 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618)
  5. Enchelydium labeo Penard, 1922 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540)
  6. Enchelydium polynucleatum Foissner, 1984 (ref. ID; 4193)
  7. Enchelydium simile Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)
  8. Enchelydium thecatum Kahl, 1926 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540)
  9. Enchelydium trichocystis Foissner (ref. ID; 3698)
  10. Enchelydium virens Kahl, 1930 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540)

Enchelydium fusidens Kahl, 1930 (ref. ID; 1619, 3540) reported year? (ref. ID; 1618)

Descriptions

Cylindrical, contractile; cilia dense and rather long; macronucleus reniform, often appears as composed of two spherical parts; contractile vacuole terminal; oral ring with spindle-like trichocysts; food vacuoles not seen; sapropelic. (ref. ID; 1618)

Measurements

Extended body 110 um long; contracted 75 um. (ref. ID; 1618)

Enchelydium polynucleatum Foissner, 1984 (ref. ID; 4193)

Descriptions

This large (in vivo ca. 100-200x20-50 um) soil ciliate is characterized by numerous (100-300) macronuclear segments, many micronuclei, and a cartridge-like body form that often becomes pouch-like in prepared specimens. The oral bulge is circular to elliptical, and depressed in the center; its rim is filled with the pointed protrusions of toxicysts. The center of the cytopharynx contains an argenotrophilic structure resembling and inverted cone. The single contractile vacuole, which discharges its contents through many tubular pores, is located at the posterior end of the body. The infraciliature is very simple: 35-45 (average 39.1; n=13) longitudinal somatic kineties, which bend counter-clockwise (organism viewed from the anterior end) close behind the oral bulge. A special circumoral kinety is absent. The rhabdos is formed by nematodesmata originating from the uppermost three to six basal bodies of each somatic kinety. The "brush" is situated on the dorsal side and consists of three short kineties with paired basal bodies. (ref. ID; 4193)

Type locality

Enchelydium polynucleatum Foissner, 1984 was collected from the top soil (0-2 cm) of a meadow near Salzburg (Schaming near Eugendorf) on 24 III 1984. (ref. ID; 4193)