Frontonia
Frontonia is a genus of free-living unicellular ciliate protists. It is closely related to the genus Paramecium. Frontonia can eat diatoms, cyanobacteria, filamentous algae, testate amoebas,[1] and even members of their own species.[2]
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| Frontonia sp., specimen is digesting cyanobacteria, the mouth (cytostome) is at the bottom right. | |
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| Genus: | Frontonia Ehrenberg, 1838
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Frontonia are widespread. Members of the genus are in marine and freshwater environments on every continent.[3][4]
Frontonia Media
Frontonia leucas, by V. Schewiakoff, 1889
Frontonia, Order Peniculida, a Ciliate
The ciliate, Frontonia leucas, under brightfield microscope, magnified at 400X.
Frontonia vernalis -- from Ehrenberg
Frontonia leucas ingesting a diatom
Frontonia atra has symbiotic bacteria in its cytoplasm
Frontonia leucas, radiating canals around contractile vacuole
Frontonia vernalis carries symbiotic algae in its cytoplasm
References
- ↑ Dias, Roberto and D'Agosto, Marta. 2006. "Feeding Behavior of Frontonia leucas (Ehrenberg)." Revista Brasiliera de Zoologia 23 (3): 758-763
- ↑ Devi, R. Vimala. 2007. "Cannibalism in Frontonia leucas Ehr." JEM 11 (3): 304-307
- ↑ Petz, Wolfgang et al. 2007. Ciliate biogeography in Antarctic and Arctic freshwater ecosystems: endemism or global distribution of species? FEMS Microbiology Ecology 59 (2): 396-408
- ↑ Long, Hongan et al. 2008. "Taxonomic studies on three marine species of Frontonia from northern China." Zootaxa 1687:35-50. Retrieved 2011-10-08.