Bursaria (ciliate)

Bursaria is a genus of ciliates in the class Colpodea. They are relatively large and feed on other protists in freshwater habitats.

Bursaria
Bursaria ovata
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
(unranked):
SAR
(unranked):
Alveolata
Phylum:
Ciliophora
Class:
Colpodea
Order:
Bursariomorphida
Family:
Bursariidae
Genus:
Bursaria

O. F. Müller, 1773

Description
Bursaria sp. (no. 4) and other common aquatic protists. The oral end of the cell is shown pointing to the left.

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
  1. J., Patterson, David (2003). Free-living freshwater protozoa : a colour guide. Hedley, Stuart. Washington, DC: ASM Press. ISBN 9781555812751. OCLC 56025552.
  2. Lynn, Denis H. (2008). The ciliated protozoa : characterization, classification, and guide to the literature. New York: Springer. ISBN 9781402082382. OCLC 272311632.
  3. "Bursaria hirundinella O.F.Müller :: Algaebase". www.algaebase.org. Retrieved 2017-10-25.
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