Pseudophyllomitus granulatus ( Larsen and Patterson 1990 ) Lee 2002

Lee, Won Je, 2015, Small Free-Living Heterotrophic Flagellates from Marine Sediments of Gippsland Basin, South-Eastern Australia, Acta Protozoologica 54 (1), pp. 53-76 : 68

Pseudophyllomitus granulatus ( Larsen and Patterson 1990) Lee 2002 ( Fig. 4g )

Observation: Cell outline is sac-shaped. Cells are about 12 µm long, slightly flexible and flattened. Refractile granules underlie the cell surface. Two flagella emerge from the deep flagellar pocket or near half the way down. Both flagella are slightly longer than the cell and are similar in length. In non-motile cells, the posterior flagellum coils up. Cytoplasm drawn out at the posterior end was not seen. The nucleus is located below the anterior pocket, near the centre of the cell and is roundish. Rarely observed.

Remarks: This species has been reported under the name Phyllomitus granulatus from marine sites in Australia, Brazil, Demark, Hawaii, Korea and Turkey (Aegean Sea) ( Larsen and Patterson 1990; Vørs 1992b; Lee and Patterson 2000; Lee et al. 2003; Lee 2002a, b, 2006b), and previously recorded cell length ranges from 7 to 21 µm. Generally, our observations are in accord with those of Larsen and Patterson (1990) and Lee (2002a). Pseudophyllomitus granulatus can be distinguished from all species of the genus Pseudophyllomitus by its granules. The organism is phagotrophic and may consume relatively large particles such as detritus and diatoms much larger than the flagellate (see Larsen and Patterson 1990, Lee and Patterson 2000).

Figures

Fig. 4. a – Carpediemonas membranifera; b – Kipferlia bialata; c – Discocelis saleuta, note a short flagellum; d – Metopion fluens, showing general appearance of cell, note shorter flagellum (arrow); e–f – Kurnaimonas celeris nov. spec., showing general appearance of cell; g – Pseudophyllomitus granulatus; h – Helkesimastix faecicola, showing general appearance and note short flagellum (arrow); i – Metromonas grandis, showing general appearance of cell and note the folded margin on the left side and short flagellum (arrow); j – Metromonas simplex, showing general appearance of cell and note short flagellum (arrow); k – Kiitoksia kaloista, showing two flagella and note short flagellum (arrow); l – Sinistermonas sinistrorsus nov. spec., showing general appearance of cell, and note flagellar insertion and beating pattern of anterior flagellum; m – Telonema subtilis, showing general appearance; n – Protist ‘1’. All micrographs are DIC images. Scale bar: 5 µm for all figures.