Ultrastructural aspects of the somatic and buccal infraciliature ofColeps amphacanthus Ehrenberg 1833

Abstract

Somatic and buccal infraciliature ofColeps amphacanthus Ehrenberg 1833 were studied by light and electron microscopy. The somatic kineties are composed of monokinetids and 2 dikinetids at the anterior end of each kinety. The monokinetids are associated with postciliary microtubules at triplet 9, a kinetodesmal fiber at triplet 5 and 7 and nearly radially arranged transverse microtubules at triplet 4. The associated fibrillar systems of the posterior kinetosome of the dikinetids are like those of the monokinetids. The anterior kinetosome is associated with transverse microtubules at triplet 4 and one or few postciliary microtubules at triplet 9. The anterior kinetosome bears only a short cilium. The oral ciliature is composed of a kinety of nearly circumorally arranged paroral dikinetids and 3 adoral organelles at the ventral left side of the oral opening. Nematodesmata arising from the oral ciliature form the major component of the cytopharyngeal apparatus which is lined by microtubular ribbons of postciliary origin. The buccal cavity is surrounded by oral papillae which often contain toxicysts.