Cephalodella wrighti (Wulfert, 1960)
Most likely ID: n.a.
Synonym: n.a.
Sampling location: Simmelried
Phylogenetic tree: Cephalodella wrighti
Diagnosis:
- body elongated, parallel-sided, transparent
- length 125–130 µm
- corona ventrally oriented
- no eyespot
- trophi with Y-shaped, joined pleural rods
- elongated cerebral ganglion (reaches the neck)
- grastric glands with prominent oil droplets
- stomach yellow or yellow greenish, also with oil droplets
- toes short and straight, about 18 µm long
- vitellarium with 8 nuclei
I have found Cephalodella wrighti so far exclusively in the Simmelried. This representative of the genus Cephalodella has two characteristic features, which allow a clear identification. There are numerous oil drops in the gastric glands, which are also found in the stomach below (s. fig. 3 b). Thus, the oil drops are obviously released into the stomach together with the secretion of the gastric glands. Another feature are Y-shaped joined pleural rods in the trophi. This feature is unique and does not occur in any other Cephalodella species.
Fig. 1 a-b: Cephalodella wrighti. L = 139 µm (inclusive toes). Two focal planes of a freely swimming specimen from left. Obj. 40 X.
Fig. 2 a-d: Cephalodella wrighti. L = 152 µm (inclusive toes). A second freely swimming specimen from left. Obj. 60 X.
Fig. 3 a-b: Cephalodella wrighti. L = 139 µm (inclusive toes). Two focal planes of a slightly squashed specimen from left. Note the oil droplets in the gastric glands (OGG) which can also be seen in the yellowish stomach (St). Bl = bladder, CG = cerebral ganglion, Vit = vitellarium. Obj. 100 X.
Fig. 4 a-b: Cephalodella wrighti. Two focal planes of the trophi in a strongly squashed specimen. Note the Y-shaped, joined pleural rods (JPR). Fu = fulcrum, Man = manubrium. Obj. 100 X.