Pseudobodo (sue-doe-bow-dough) is a naked bicosoecid stramenopile. As with other bicosoecids, it attaches to the substrate by the tip of the recurrent flagellum. The anterior flagellum is directed away from the substrate, beats with an undulating pattern, and draws a current of water with suspended bacteria (its food) towards the cell. The cell has a ridge to one side of the flagellum and this marks the margin of the ingestion region. Phase contrast. This picture was taken by David Patterson, Linda Amaral Zettler, Mike Peglar and Tom Nerad from cultures and other materials maintained at the American Type Culture Collection during 2001. Image copyright: D. J. Patterson, L Amaral-Zettler, M. Peglar and T. Nerad, image used under license to MBL (micro*scope).
download as pdf file
download large file
From the collection
American Type Culture Collection
|Description of Pseudobodo tremulans: Cells are about 4.5 - 6 microns long with an anterior collar around the anterior part of the cell in unstressed feeding cells. The insertion sites of the two flagella are separated by a protrusion at the anterior of the cell. The anterior flagellum has a sine-wave beating pattern and is about 3.5 times the length of the cell, and the posterior flagellum is about twice the length of the cell and may attach to the substrate by its tip. When the cells move, the anterior collar may be hard to see. The cells move by swimming with the anterior flagellum directed forwards. |