image_list image_listE

Oligohymenophorea (formerly Nassophorea): Peniculida: Parameciidae

Paramecium caudatum
Ehrenberg, 1838

Mating reaction

Paramecium caudatum mating reaction Genus: Cigar- or foot-shaped; a single macronucleus and 1 to several vesicular or compact micronuclei (Kudo, 1966).
Species: 180-300 μm long; a compact micronucleus; two contractile vacuoles (Kudo, 1966). Cylindrical or cigar-shaped; rounded anteriorly, pointed posteriorly; one large compact micronucleus ("caudatum" group) approximately 8 μm diam.; two contractile vacuoles; 170-290 μm long (Wichterman, 1986). Elongate, rounded anteriorly, pointed posteriorly; caudal cilia present; 180-280 μm long; a single macronucleus with a single micronucleus; two contractile vacuoles (Carey, 1992).

A scheme of mating-type determination; Mating reaction & pairs, by Y. Tsukii
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction

Mating reaction (a large mating clump), by Y. Tsukii
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction

Mating reaction (close view), by Y. Tsukii
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction

Mating reaction on a depression slide; Mating reaction occurring within each syngen, by Y. Tsukii
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction


Double mating reaction -> animation (in Japanese)
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction

Triple mating reaction: cells injested latex particles (white cells), aceto-carmine particles (red cells), china ink (black cells), by Y. Tsukii
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction
Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction Paramecium caudatum, Mating reaction


Please click on images for viewing enlarged.
Copyright Protist Information Server