Coleps elongatus

(Ehrenberg, 1830) Kahl, 1930

Most likely ID: n.a.

 

Synonym: n.a.

 

Sampling location: Purren pond

 

Phylogenetic tree: Coleps elongatus

 

Diagnosis: 

  • length 65–80 µm
  • cell slender barrel-shaped to almost cylindrical
  • two caudal cilia
  • anterior end with two teeth
  • uniform ciliation
  • 14–17 longitudinal rows of plates
  • “windows” in armour pretzel-shaped
  • one spherical macronucleus
  • apical mouth opening with basket of pharyngeal trichites
Coleps-elongatus
Coleps elongatus

So far I have been able to detect Coleps elongatus only in the Purren pond. Possibly I have overlooked the Coleps species in the samples from my other localities, because a safe assignment is possible only on the basis of the 2 caudal cilia and the form and arrangement of the “windows” in the armour. However, the species is conspicuous in its slender shape even at low magnification. The “windows” of Coleps elongatus are pretzel-shaped, like in Coleps hirtus. However, Coleps elongatus has 5 “windows” in anterior main plate and 4 in the posterior main plate (s. fig. 3), while Coleps hirtus has only 4 “windows” in both main plates. 

Coleps-elongatus

Fig. 1 a-d: Coleps elongatus. L = 65 µm. A freely swimming specimen. Note the two caudal cilia (CC). Obj. 40 X.

Coleps-elongatus

Fig. 2 a-c: Coleps elongatus. L = 65 µm. The slightly squashed specimen shown in fig. 1 a-d. Obj. 100 X.

Coleps-elongatus

Fig. 3: Coleps elongatus. A strongly squashed specimen for visualisation of the pretzel-shaped “windows”.  In the anterior main plate 5 “windows” are arranged in a row (1–5) and in the posterior main plate 4 “windows” (1–4). Obj. 100 X.

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