| Colpoda inflata | |
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| Colpoda inflata | |
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| Species: | C. inflata |
| Binomial name | |
| Colpoda inflata Stokes, 1884 | |
Colpoda inflata (sometimes called Tillina inflata or Colpoda rouxi) [1] is a unicellular organism, belonging to the genus Colpoda. Colpodeans are eucaryotic protozoans, that mainly feed on bacteria (bacteriophagous), vary a lot in size and have a funnel-shaped vestibule.
Colpoda inflata is 30-90 μm long and is characteristically L-shaped with its oral opening, the vestibule, lying in the corner of the "L". [2] Very well-nourished individuals can also appear reniform. C. inflata has a macronucleus to which a micronucleus is attached, contractile vacuoles, an excretory pore and several extrusomes, although populations without extrusomes have been observed. [3] The ciliature of C. inflata is holotrichous, meaning that it is regularly distributed over the whole cell surface in slightly spiralling lines. With the help of its ciliature, C. inflata alternates between gliding rather clumsily and resting in one spot, circling jerkily. [2]
C. inflata feeds almost exclusively on bacteria, in rare cases on flagellates. [4] Digestion takes place within its 4-8 μm-sized food vacuoles.
The species has been found in many different terrestrial habitats like animal dunghills, sewages, meadow puddles, intestines of various reptiles and amphibians, algal coatings on tree-bark, caves and rivers. [2]
C. inflata is distributed world-wide and has been described in the USA, Mexico and South America, Central Europe, Africa, Japan, Australia and New Zealand.
Conjugation in Colpodeans has rarely been observed, which is why they are often assumed to reproduce strictly asexual. [5]
Colpoda inflata proliferates by mitosis, resulting in cells that can either form fully developed division cysts (trophonts) or resting cysts. Resting cysts are globular and differ from division cysts by their mucous layer containing many yellow globules and their tolerance for harsh environmental conditions like low nutrient levels. [2] The encystment process lasts about 120–160 hours. [6]
Due to the universal distribution and its cultivability C. inflata is an ideal organism for ecological comparisons and can serve as bioindicator. [7] Furthermore, a study has shown, that C. inflata is able to maintain great populations in highly polluted environments, which is why it could play an important role in biofilter technology. [8]
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.
Stentor, sometimes called trumpet animalcules, are a genus of filter-feeding, heterotrophic ciliates, representative of the heterotrichs. They are usually horn-shaped, and reach lengths of two millimeters; as such, they are among the largest known extant unicellular organisms. They reproduce asexually through binary fission.
Vorticella is a genus of bell-shaped ciliates that have stalks to attach themselves to substrates. The stalks have contractile myonemes, allowing them to pull the cell body against substrates. The formation of the stalk happens after the free-swimming stage.
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.
Spirostomum is a genus of ciliated protists in the class Heterotrichea. It is known for being very contractile. Having been first identified by Christian Gottfried Ehrenberg in 1834, further research has identified eight additional true morphospecies. This bacterivore genus mainly lives in the sediment deposits at the bottom of various aquatic habitats, and members possess rquA genes that could be responsible for their ability to survive in these hypoxic and anoxic environments. They are identifiable by their relatively large tubular/flat vermiform bodies. Their life cycle consists of a growth stage, in which they mature, and asexual and sexual reproduction stages. Some species are model organisms for studies on human pathogenic bacteria, while others are sensitive and accurate bioindicators for toxic substances.
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.
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.
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.
Frontonia is a genus of free-living unicellular ciliate protists, belonging to the order Peniculida. As Peniculids, the Frontonia are closely related to members of the genus Paramecium. However, whereas Paramecia are mainly bacterivores, Frontonia are capable of ingesting large prey such as diatoms, filamentous algae, testate amoebas, and even, in some circumstances, members of their own species. In bacteria-rich saprobic conditions, Frontonia leucas can live as a facultative bacterivore.
Climacostomum is a genus of unicellular ciliates, belonging to the class Heterotrichea.
Dileptus is a genus of unicellular ciliates in the class Litostomatea. Species of Dileptus occur in fresh and salt water, as well as mosses and soils. Most are aggressive predators equipped with long, mobile proboscides lined with toxic extrusomes, with which they stun smaller organisms before consuming them. Thirteen species and subspecies of Dileptus are currently recognized.
Dileptus margaritifer is a species of ciliates in the family Dileptidae. It is common in freshwater streams, lakes and ponds, as well as mosses and soil. The species has been found on every continent except Antarctica.
Pseudomonilicaryon anser is a species of unicellular ciliates in the family Dileptidae, also known under the names Dileptus anser and Dileptus cygnus. The species is common in fresh water ponds, stagnant pools, mosses and soils.
Colpidium colpoda are free-living ciliates commonly found in many freshwater environments including streams, rivers, lakes and ponds across the world. Colpidium colpoda is also frequently found inhabiting wastewater treatment plants. This species is used as an indicator of water quality and waste treatment plant performance.
Kentrophoros is a genus of ciliates in the class Karyorelictea. Ciliates in this genus lack a distinct oral apparatus and depend primarily on symbiotic bacteria for their nutrition.
Tracheloraphis is a genus of ciliates in the family Trachelocercidae.
Stentor roeselii is a free-living ciliate species of the genus Stentor, in the class Heterotrichea. It is a common and widespread protozoan, found throughout the world in freshwater ponds, lakes, rivers and ditches.
Parablepharismea is a class of free-living marine and brackish anaerobic ciliates that form a major clade of obligate anaerobes within the SAL group, together with the classes Muranotrichea and Armophorea.
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.