Comparative Studies on Four Species of Vorticella by Conventional Microscopy

Vorticella campanula, V. microstoma, V. nebulifera, and V. picta were propagated and studied by conventional microscopy. Our morphological and "behavioral" studies made it possible to identify the telotrochs (free-swimming stage) of each of the four species. Body length alone did not distinguish one species from another; but body shape was found to be species-specific. The telotrochs also differed with regard to speed; generally, the larger the telotrochs the lesser their speed and less erratic their movements: they generally move in a straight line instead of quickly changing directions and reversing their course. Telotrochs differed in the time lapse of behavior pattern, regarding attachment, secretion of stalk, first division, etc. The four species also varied in their pellicular striae (PS) silverline pattern; and the myoneme pattern, as revealed by the protargol technique, differed, too.