Stomatogenesis of the marine ciliate Metanophrys sinensis (Protozoa: Ciliophora: Scuticociliatida)

Abstract

Stomatogenesis of the marine scuticociliate Metanophrys sinensis, collected from a molluscan culturing pond in Qingdao, China, was studied using protargol impregnation method. The morphogenetic sequence develops in the proter: the remnant of parental paroral membrane gives rise to the paroral membrane and scutica, and the three parental membranelles were inherited. In the opisthe: the paroral membrane, membranelles 1, 2 and the scutica originate from the parental paroral membrane, while parental scutica gives rise to the membranelle 3. This suggests that M. sinensis has a relatively similar morphogenetic pattern to the members of the genus Uronema.