Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis
M.S. Bennet & Triemer, nom. illeg., 2014
Most likely ID: n.a.
Synonym: Cyclidiopsis acus
Sampling location: Purren pond, Simmelried
Phylogenetic tree: Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis
Diagnosis:
- cells long and slender spindle-shaped
- not metabolic, rigid
- length 130–206 µm
- cells colorless, chloroplasts absent
- pellicle spirally striated with very low pitch
- anterior end snout-like, transversely truncated
- posterior end needle-shaped
- one flagellum, about 35 µm long
- one eyespot at the level of the reservoir
- paramylon grains about 25–30 µm long, spindle-shaped with blunt ends
- nucleus elongated in the middle of the cell
I find Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis in the Purren pond and the Simmelried regularly. Sometimes this species occurs in masses, especially in the Simmelried. The species is easily identified by the slender spindle shape and by the absence of chloroplasts (s. figs. 1 a-b and 2). The paramylon grains of Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis are also spindle-shaped, with blunt ends (s. fig. 3). In my population I have also found specimens containing many small paramylon grains (s. fig. 4) which were irregularly shaped. Possibly these are remnants of degraded, spindle-shaped paramylon grains.
Fig. 1 a-b: Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis. L = 194 µm. A freely swimming specimen. CV = contractile vacuole, ES = eyespot, F = flagellum, Nu = nucleus. Obj. 60 X.
Fig. 2: Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis. L = 217 µm. A slightly squashed specimen in detail. CV = contractile vacuole, ES = eyespot, F = flagellum, Nu = nucleus, PG = paramylon grains. Obj. 100 X.
Fig. 3: Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis. A more transparent specimen with spindle-shaped paramylon grains (PG). The paramylon grains are 31–35 µm long. Note the striated pellicle (SP) of the specimen at the left side. Obj. 60 X
Fig. 4: Lepocinclis cyclidiopsis. Two specimens with irregularly shaped, small paramylon grains (SPG). Obj. 60 X