Astomata-ciliates from earthworm guts

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Mouthless ciliates

Acta Protozoologica released a short article about these interesting cliates in February 2016 :

Klaus Hausmann, Gerd Günther, Diana Lehmann, Renate Radek: On the Enigmatic Hook of the Metaradiophryids (Alveolata, Ciliophora), Acta Protozoologica, Volume 55, Issue 1, 02/2016

The images were taken over the last few years during an examination of earth worms belonging to the genus Eisenia living in a dung heap.

The astomatous ciliates live endosymbiotically in earthworms (Annelida, Lumbricidae).

Two genera of ciliates were found frequently inside the earthworms : Anoplophrya and Metaradiophrya. The prominent hook apparatus of the metaradiophryids is located in the front of the ciliates. Due to the dimension of the ciliates of about 200µm they can easily be examined.