Bursaria (ciliate)
| Bursaria | |
|---|---|
| Bursaria ovata | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | |
| (unranked): | |
| (unranked): | |
| Phylum: | |
| Class: | |
| Order: | Bursariomorphida
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| Family: | Bursariidae
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| Genus: | Bursaria O. F. Müller, 1773
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Bursaria is a genus of ciliates in the class Colpodea. They are relatively large and feed on other protists in freshwater habitats.
Description
The cell body of Bursaria is scoop-shaped, and can be up to 1 mm long. Their oral region is crescent-shaped, and there is a band of membranelles (compound structures composed of multiple cilia) leading into the mouth. They live in the plankton of freshwater environments and ingest other protists, including algae and other ciliates.[1] Bursaria are the largest-sized colpodean ciliates.[2]
Systematics
Bursaria is the sole genus in the family Bursariidae.[2] The genus was originally described by O. F. Müller in 1773, with B. hirundinella as the type species.[3] It was formerly classified as a heterotrich, but is now classified as a member of the class Colpodea, based on the development of its oral structures (stomatogenesis) and its ultrastructure.[2]
References
- ^ J., Patterson, David (2003). Free-living freshwater protozoa : a colour guide. Hedley, Stuart. Washington, DC: ASM Press. ISBN 9781555812751. OCLC 56025552.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Lynn, Denis H. (2008). The ciliated protozoa : characterization, classification, and guide to the literature. New York: Springer. ISBN 9781402082382. OCLC 272311632.
- ^ "Bursaria hirundinella O.F.Müller :: Algaebase". www.algaebase.org. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
External links
- Media related to Bursaria (ciliate) at Wikimedia Commons
- Videos of Bursaria at the Molecular Expressions website