ISSN:
1550-7408
Source:
Blackwell Publishing Journal Backfiles 1879-2005
Topics:
Biology
Notes:
SYNOPSIS. Balantidium coli was cultured for 4 months in Dobell-Laidlaw's medium. About 10 specimens of monsters were found in the preparations (Chatton-Lwoff silver impregnation technique). One individual showed a tendency to polystomy. One doublet of Balantidium caviae (?) in preparations treated by the same technique was found in a population from a guinea pig.The monsters of Balantidium coli are either single distomic individuals or doublets (homopolar or heteropolar).The infraciliature of the monsters shows different degrees of deviation from the normal pattern. No reorganization field during the formation of additional cytostomes was observed, which agrees with the data on normal stomatogenesis. This process is very similar in both normal specimens and monsters and is characterized by the arrangement of radiating kineties surrounding the anlage of the cytostome and, evidently, by invagination of this area which later forms the peristome. The fate of single monsters and that of homopelar doublets is unknown. The heteropolar monsters are considered non-viable because the arrangement of the kineties in both presumptive daughters contradicts the rule of desmodexy (Chatton-Lwoff).The occurrence of the monsters in cultures may possibly be explained by the action of acriflavine which is mutagenic for Escherichia coli, or by gentian-violet which inhibits fission of sea urchin eggs.This paper apparently constitutes the first presentation of anomalies of the infraciliature in parasitic ciliates.In addition the exact arrangement of the kineties and kinetosomes at the posterior pole of Balantidium coli is described.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1550-7408.1959.tb03928.x
