A Heliozoa from a paddy field

After being collected from a paddy field, the sample was put on 1% agar plate with a drop of distilled water and kept for a few days. When an enlarged image of the video is observed in high resolution, axopods (stiff, microtubule-supported projections) can be seen. Though it is moving slightly, the organism remains in the same place.

Commentary by Prof. Yuji Tsukii, Hosei University
At first it was difficult to identify this organism, but the enlarged high-resolution image allows us to see a number of thin protrusions called axopods extending from the cell surface. This organism is therefore Rabdiophrys, which used to belong to the Heliozoea group. However, recently Rabdiophrys and some related organisms were reclassified as part of the Filosea group, not Heliozoea.

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

Sampling Date : 16 October 2006

Sampling Site : KASHIMADAI paddy field  Google Map