A ciliate’s strange projection

This ciliate has a strange projection at the rear end. There may be a missing piece from an attack by another organism, because this type of projection is rarely seen. The ciliate with its slightly bent mouth is actively swimming around particles and algal cells.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
The projection at the rear end of this organism might be damage caused by sand particles when it was collected from the river. As the front of the body has retained a normal shape, it can be identified to the genus level. It probably belongs to either genus Loxodes or genus Remanella, both of which have a beak-like shape at the front.

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

http://protist.i.hosei.ac.jp/PDB/Im.....

The whole body might have been longer and narrower before being injured suggesting that　this organism is Remanella, but it is difficult to say which species it is.

Sampling Date : 27 May 2009

Sampling Site : Hirose River A  Google Map