Lacrymaria sapropelica Kahl, 1927
Most likely ID: n.a.
Synonym: n.a.
Sampling location: Simmelried
Phylogenetic tree: Lacrymaria sapropelica
Diagnosis:
- body long oval or flask-shaped
- length 80–100 µm
- head and neck with oblique kineties
- head thicker than neck
- head and neck contractile
- pellicle ribbed with long cilia
- movement vivid
- pharyngeal extrusomes are delicate rods
- macronucleus oval or kidney-shaped, with one micronucleus
- contractile vacuole terminal
I find Lacrymaria sapropelica in the mud of the Simmelried rarely, but regularly in larger intervals. This species can be recognized by the fact that in the elongated specimens the head is wider than the neck (s. figs. 1a and 2a as well as Kahl’s drawing above). Head and neck show a striation by oblique running kineties, which is difficult to see in the fast-moving specimens. Only in flashed photographs (s. fig. 1c) or in squashed specimens is this feature clearly visible. The pharyngeal extrusomes are thin rods. In the specimens of my population they were 12 µm long (s. fig. 2b). Although Kahl drew this species with an oval body (s. drawing above), all specimens I have found had a flask- or amphore-shape.
Fig. 1 a-d: Lacrymaria sapropelica. L = 85 µm. A freely swimming specimen. In the elongated form (fig. 1a) the head (He) is broader than the neck (Ne). Head and neck are show oblique kineties (OK). Obj. 60 X.
Fig. 2 a-b: Lacrymaria sapropelica. L = 95 µm. A second freely swimming specimen. The pharyngeal extrusomes (EX) arranged in the head are 12 µm long, thin rods. CV = contractile vacuole, Ma = macronucleus. Obj. 100 X.
Fig. 3 a-c: Lacrymaria sapropelica. L = 88 µm. Three focal planes of a third, slightly squashed specimen. CV = contractile vacuole, Ma = macronucleus. Obj. 100 X.