image_list image_listE

Oligohymenophorea (formerly Nassophorea): Peniculida: Parameciidae

 Paramecium trichium
Stokes, 1885

Paramecium trichium Genus: Cigar- or foot-shaped; a single macronucleus and 1 to several vesicular or compact microuclei (Kudo, 1966).
Species: Oblong; 50-105 (80-90) μm long; a compact micronucleus; two contractile vacuoles; fresh water (Kudo, 1966). Similar in shape to P. bursaria but much more rounded at both ends; 70-90 μm long; two conctractile vacuoles; a single ovoid macronucleus with a single micronucleus; caudal cilia present (Carey, 1992).
Generally believed P. trichium = P. putrinum (see below)

Paramecium trichium, cell body 83 μm long, 40 μm wide, with a very large micronucleus, x 640, Iruma River, Bushi, Iruma, Saitama Pref., Japan, February 2002 by Y. Tsukii
scale 31 μm scale 63 μm scale 94 μm; x 640
Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium
A very large micronucleus located at the pocket of the oval macronucleus
Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium
A dividing cell, macronucleus elongated
Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium Paramecium trichium

P. putrinum Claparède and Lachmann: Similar to P. bursaria in shape; but single contractile vacuole; no symbiotic chlorella; 80-150 μm long; fresh water (Kudo, 1966).

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