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Aboral

At the end of the body (opposite to the adoral zone).

Adoral

Near the mouth (oral zone).

Anterior

Part of the cell in the direction of normal movement (usually the front half of the cell) - opposite to posterior.

Apical

The most anterior region of a cell.

Axopodia

Long, thin, unbranched pseudopodia (e.g. in Actinophrys).

Buccal cavity

Deep oral cavity (mouth) containing compound ciliary organelles such as membranelles.

Cilia

Short, hair-like, motile extensions of protozoan cell (in Ciliates, e.g. Paramecium).

Cingulum

Transverse groove in Dinoflagellates (girdle, e.g. in Peridinium).

Cirri

Stiff, motile structure consisted of groups of cilia fused together. Can move as 'legs' on ciliates (e.g. on Euplotes).

Clathrum

Loosely arranged pharyngeal rods of the expansive mouth.

Cyrtos

Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually curved (e.g. in Nassula).

Cytostome

Cell mouth (the oral cavity), the region where food is taken in and food vacuoles are formed.

Cytopharynx

Nonciliated tubular channel leading from the cytostome into the cytoplasm (syn. gullet).

Dorsal

Side of the protozoan cell opposite to ventral.

Epicone

Part of a Dinoflagellate cell forward of a girdle (e.g. in Peridinium.

Epipodia

Cytoplasmic filaments that hold together the body of the testate amoeba and the test.

Epitheca

Epicone of armored Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.

Extrusomes

Membrane-bound structures which can discharge their contents outside the cell.

Filopodia

Pseudopodia that is very thin and slender and may branch, but don't rejoin (don't form a mesh).

Flagella

Long extensions of protozoan cell used in locomotion (in Flagellates).

Girdle

Transverse groove in Dinoflagellates (cingulum, e.g. in Peridinium).

Gullet

See Cytopharynx.

Hypocone

Part of a Dinoflagellate cell behind a girdle (e.g. in Peridinium.

Hypotheca

Hypocone of armored Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.

Kineties

Rows of cilia (e.g. in Tetrahymena).

Lobopodia

Blunt pseudopodia that can be tubular, and are composed of both ectoplasm and endoplasm.

Lorica

Protective, loose, external cell case.

Membranelles

Short, transverse rows of cilia, fused together to form a compound ciliary organelle.

Mucocysts

Extrusomes which can discharge a mucous mass (e.g. used in cyst formation).

Myoneme

Contractile element of the cytoplasm, for example a thread inside the stalk of sessile peritrich protozoans (e.g. Vorticella).

Operculum

The cover of the aperature of a protozoan cell (lid, covering flap).

Opisthe

Posterior daughter cell in an asexually dividing ciliate.

Pellicle

Outer surface of protozoan cell.

Peristome

Region about the cytostome, usually ciliated to aid in feeding.

Posterior

The part of the cell away from the direction of normal movement (opposite to anterior).

Proter

Anterior daughter cell in an asexually dividing ciliate (parental cell).

Pseudopodia

Motile, finger-like cytoplasmic projections used in feeding and locomotion (e.g. in Trichamoeba).

Reticulopodia

Long, branched pseudopodia that can form a very fine network (in Foraminiferans, e.g. in Spiroloculina).

Rhabdos

Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually straight.

Sulcus

Posterior extension of a girdle in Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.

Rhabdos

Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually straight.

Telotroch

Free swimming, stalkless stage of peritrich protozoans (e.g. Vorticella).

Tentacle

Tubular, hollow, retractable extension of body of suctorian ciliates, used for feeding (e.g. in Acineta).

Test

Protozoan 'shell' - covering about the body (e.g. in Difflugia).

Trichites

Rod-like elements used to support the cytopharynx.

Trichocysts

Extrusomes which can discharge a fibrous rod when mechanically or chemically stimulated (e.g. in Paramecium).

Trophont

Feeding stage of an apostome ciliate.

Undulipodia

Cilli or flagella.

Undulating membrane

A membrane formed by fused rows of cillia (e.g. in Pleuronema).

Uroid

Distinct, posterior end of amoeba.

Ventral

Side of protozoan cell associated with oral structures (opposite to dorsal).

Vestibule

A bodily cavity leading to another cavity.

Zooid

An individual in a colonial animal - for example a single stalked, sessile form of peritrich protozoans (e.g. Carchesium).
  droplet • Microscopy of the Protozoa Copyright © 2003-2008 Piotr Rotkiewicz  
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