Euplotes

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Euplotes
Euplotes patella - 160x (13215439193).jpg
Euplotes sp.
Scientific classification
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Euplotes

Ehrenberg, 1830
Species

Many, including:

Euplotes is a genus of ciliates in the subclass Euplotia. Species are widely distributed in marine and freshwater environments, as well as soil and moss. Most members of the genus are free-living, but two species have been recorded as commensal organisms in the digestive tracts of sea urchins. [1] [2]

Contents

Description

Euplotes cells are inflexible, dorsoventrally flattened, and roughly ovoid, with a very large oral region (peristome) bordered on the left by a long "adoral zone of membranelles" (AZM). Like other spirotrich ciliates, Euplotes move and feed with the help of compound ciliary organelles called "cirri," made up of thick tufts of cilia sparsely distributed on the cell. Strong cirri on the ventral surface of the cell enable Euplotes to walk or crawl on submerged detritus and vegetation. All species of Euplotes have a group of stiff bristles (caudal cirri), which protrude from the posterior of the cell. The number of caudal cirri varies, even within a species, but it is most common for Euplotes to have 4 or 5. [3] The macronucleus is typically long and narrow, and approximately horseshoe-shaped, C-shaped, or resembling the number 3. [4] [5]

History and Classification

Euplotes patella, as depicted by C.G. Ehrenberg in 1838 Euplotes patella from ehrenberg.jpg
Euplotes patella, as depicted by C.G. Ehrenberg in 1838

Species of Euplotes were first recorded in 1773 by the Danish naturalist O.F. Müller, who placed them in the genus Trichoda. [6] In 1830,German microscopist C.G. Ehrenberg created the genus Euplotes. [7] By 1975, over 80 species and varieties had been described and assigned to Euplotes. [3]

In older classification schemes, Euplotes is usually placed among hypotrichs, either in the order Hypotrichida, the subclass Hypotrichia or the class Hypotrichea. [1] In current classification, Euplotes is placed apart from the other traditional hypotrichs, in the subclass Euplotia. [8] [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Spirotrich</span> Class of single-celled organisms

The spirotrichs are a large and diverse group of ciliate protozoa. They typically have prominent oral cilia in the form of a series of polykinetids, called the adoral zone of membranelles, beginning anterior to the oral cavity and running down to the left side of the mouth. There may also be one or two paroral membranes on its right side. The body cilia are fused to form polykinetids called cirri in some, and are sparse to absent in others.

The plagiopylids are a small order of ciliates, including a few forms common in anaerobic habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Litostomatea</span> Class of single-celled organisms

The Litostomatea are a class of ciliates. The group consists of three subclasses: Haptoria, Trichostomatia and Rhynchostomatia. Haptoria includes mostly carnivorous forms such as Didinium, a species of which preys primarily on the ciliate Paramecium. Trichostomatia (trichostomes) are mostly endosymbionts in the digestive tracts of vertebrates. These include the species Balantidium coli, which is the only ciliate parasitic in humans. The group Rhynchostomatia includes two free-living orders previously included among the Haptoria, but now known to be genetically distinct from them, the Dileptida and the Tracheliida.

<i>Paramecium</i> Genus of unicellular ciliates, commonly studied as a representative of the ciliate group

Paramecium is a genus of eukaryotic, unicellular ciliates, commonly studied as a model organism of the ciliate group. Paramecium are widespread in freshwater, brackish, and marine environments and are often abundant in stagnant basins and ponds. Because some species are readily cultivated and easily induced to conjugate and divide, they have been widely used in classrooms and laboratories to study biological processes. The usefulness of Paramecium as a model organism has caused one ciliate researcher to characterize it as the "white rat" of the phylum Ciliophora.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hymenostome</span> Order of single-celled organisms

The hymenostomes are an order of ciliate protozoa. Most are free-living in freshwater, such as the commonly studied genus Tetrahymena, but some are parasitic on fish or aquatic invertebrates. Among these is the important species Ichthyophthirius multifiliis, a common cause of death in aquaria and fish farms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hypotrich</span> Subclass of single-celled organisms


The hypotrichs are a group of ciliated protozoa, common in fresh water, salt water, soil and moss. Hypotrichs possess compound ciliary organelles called "cirri," which are made up of thick tufts of cilia, sparsely distributed on the ventral surface of the cell. The multiple fused cilia which form a cirrus function together as a unit, enabling the organism to crawl along solid substrates such as submerged debris or sediments. Hypotrichs typically possess a large oral aperture, bordered on one side by a wreath or collar of membranelles, forming an "adoral zone of membranelles," or AZM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stichotrich</span> Historic group of single-celled organisms

The stichotrichs were a proposed group of ciliates, in the class Spirotrichea. In a classification system proposed by Eugene Small and Denis Lynn in 1985, Stichotrichia formed a subclass containing four orders: Stichotrichida, Urostylida, Sporadotrichida and Plagiotomida. Although the group was made up of species traditionally classified among the "hypotrichs"--ciliates possessing compound ciliary organelles called cirri--it excluded euplotid ciliates such as Euplotes and Diophrys, which were placed in the subclass Hypotrichia. In later classifications proposed by Denis Lynn, Stichotrichia omits the order Plagiotomida.

<i>Stylonychia</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Stylonychia is a genus of ciliates, in the subclass Hypotrichia. Species of Stylonychia are very common in fresh water and soil, and may be found on filamentous algae, surface films, and among particles of sediment. Like other Hypotrichs, Stylonychia has cilia grouped into membranelles alongside the mouth and cirri over the body. It is distinguished partly by long cirri at the posterior, usually a cluster of three. The largest can just be seen at a 25x magnification, and the smallest can just be seen at a 450x magnification.

<i>Didinium</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Didinium is a genus of unicellular ciliates with at least ten accepted species. All are free-living carnivores. Most are found in fresh and brackish water, but three marine species are known. Their diet consists largely of Paramecium, although they will also attack and consume other ciliates. Some species, such as D. gargantua, also feeds on non-ciliate protists, including dinoflagellates, cryptomonads, and green algae.

<i>Paramecium caudatum</i> Species of single-celled organism

Paramecium caudatum is a species of unicellular protist in the phylum Ciliophora. They can reach 0.33 mm in length and are covered with minute hair-like organelles called cilia. The cilia are used in locomotion and feeding. The species is very common, and widespread in marine, brackish and freshwater environments.

<i>Colpoda</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Colpoda is a genus of ciliates in the class Colpodea, order Colpodida, and family Colpodidae.

Karyorelictea is a class of ciliates in the subphylum Postciliodesmatophora. Most species are members of the microbenthos community, that is, microscopic organisms found in the marine interstitial habitat, though one genus, Loxodes, is found in freshwater.

Loxodes is a genus of karyorelictean ciliates, belonging to family Loxodidae. It is the only known karyorelictean ciliate that lives in freshwater habitats.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ciliate</span> Taxon of protozoans with hair-like organelles called cilia

The ciliates are a group of alveolates characterized by the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia, which are identical in structure to eukaryotic flagella, but are in general shorter and present in much larger numbers, with a different undulating pattern than flagella. Cilia occur in all members of the group and are variously used in swimming, crawling, attachment, feeding, and sensation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mobilida</span> Order of protists belonging to the ciliates phylum

Mobilida is a group of parasitic or symbiotic peritrich ciliates, comprising more than 280 species. Mobilids live on or within a wide variety of aquatic organisms, including fish, amphibians, molluscs, cnidarians, flatworms and other ciliates, attaching to their host organism by means of an aboral adhesive disk. Some mobilid species are pathogens of wild or farmed fish, causing severe and economically damaging diseases such as trichodinosis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Intramacronucleata</span> Subphylum of single-celled organisms

Intramacronucleata is a subphylum of ciliates. The group is characterized by the manner in which division of the macronucleus is accomplished during binary fission of the cell. In ciliates of this subphylum, division of the macronucleus is achieved by the action of microtubules which are assembled inside the macronucleus itself. This is in contrast to heterotrich ciliates of the subphylum Postciliodesmatophora, in which division of the macronucleus relies on microtubules formed outside the macronuclear envelope.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Armophorea</span> Class of single-celled organisms

Armophorea is a class of ciliates in the subphylum Intramacronucleata. . It was first resolved in 2004 and comprises three orders: Metopida, Clevelandellida, and Armophorida. Previously members of this class were thought to be heterotrichs because of similarities in morphology, most notably a characteristic dense arrangement of cilia surrounding their oral structures. However, the development of genetic tools and subsequent incorporation of DNA sequence information has led to major revisions in the evolutionary relationships of many protists, including ciliates. Metopids, clevelandellids, and armophorids were grouped into this class based on similarities in their small subunit rRNA sequences, making them one of two so-called "riboclasses" of ciliates, however, recent analyses suggest that Armophorida may not be related to the other two orders.

<i>Licnophora</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Licnophora is a genus of ciliates in the family Licnophoridae. They typically have an hourglass-like shape and live as ectocommensals on marine animals.

<i>Bursaria</i> (ciliate) Genus of single-celled organisms

Bursaria is a genus of ciliates in the class Colpodea. They are relatively large and feed on other protists in freshwater habitats.

<i>Halteria</i> Genus of single-celled organisms

Halteria, sometimes referred to as the jumping oligotrich, is a genus of common planktonic ciliates that are found in many freshwater environments. Halteria are easy to locate due to their abundance and distinctive behaviour with observations of Halteria potentially dating back to the 17th century and the discovery of microorganisms. Over time more has been established about their morphology and behavior, which has led to many changes in terms of classification.

References

  1. 1 2 Lynn, Denis (2008). The Ciliated Protozoa: Characterization, Classification, and Guide to the Literature (3 ed.). Springer Netherlands. pp. 374–5. ISBN   978-1-4020-8238-2.
  2. Caspers, H. (1962). "Corliss, John O.: The Ciliated Protozoa: Characterization, Classification, and Guide to the Literature. With 22pl. Oxford–London–New York–Paris: Pergamon Press Ltd. 1961.310p. Intern. Series of Monographs on Pure and Applied Biology, Div. Zoology, Vol. 7. 80 – s". Internationale Revue der gesamten Hydrobiologie und Hydrographie. 47 (3): 172. doi:10.1002/iroh.19620470319. ISSN   1522-2632.
  3. 1 2 Curds, Colin R. (1975). "A guide to the species of the genus Euplotes (Hypotrichida, Ciliata)". Bull. Br. Mus. (Nat. Hist.) Zool. 28: 3.
  4. Carey, Philip G. (1992). Marine Interstitial Ciliates. London: Chapman and Hall. p. 203. ISBN   0-412406101.
  5. Curds, Colin R. (1983). British and Other Freshwater Ciliated Protozoa. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 450.
  6. Müller, Otto Frederik (1773). Vermivm terrestrium et fluviatilium, seu, Animalium infusoriorum, helminthicorum et testaceorum, non marinorum, succincta historia. et Lipsiae: apud Heineck et Faber.
  7. Berger, Helmut (2001). "Catalogue of ciliate names 1. Hypotrichs". Paris-Lodron-Universität Salzburg.
  8. Gao, Feng; Warren, Alan; Zhang, Qianqian; Gong, Jun; Miao, Miao; Sun, Ping; Xu, Dapeng; Huang, Jie; Yi, Zhenzhen; Song, Weibo (2016-04-29). "The All-Data-Based Evolutionary Hypothesis of Ciliated Protists with a Revised Classification of the Phylum Ciliophora (Eukaryota, Alveolata)". Scientific Reports. 6 (1): 24874. Bibcode:2016NatSR...624874G. doi:10.1038/srep24874. ISSN   2045-2322. PMC   4850378 . PMID   27126745.
  9. Adl, Sina M.; Bass, David; Lane, Christopher E.; Lukeš, Julius; Schoch, Conrad L.; Smirnov, Alexey; Agatha, Sabine; Berney, Cedric; Brown, Matthew W.; Burki, Fabien; Cárdenas, Paco (2019). "Revisions to the Classification, Nomenclature, and Diversity of Eukaryotes". Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 66 (1): 4–119. doi:10.1111/jeu.12691. ISSN   1550-7408. PMC   6492006 . PMID   30257078.
Drawing of Euplotes harpa, a marine species Euplotes harpa - Alfred Kahl.jpg
Drawing of Euplotes harpa, a marine species