Protozoa
Data Quality Indicators:
| Kingdom | Protozoa |
| Phylum | Ciliophora |
| Class | Ciliatea |
| Subclass | Rhabdophorina |
| Family | Tracheliidae |
Is Dileptus a protist?
Dileptus is a genus of unicellular ciliates in the class Litostomatea. Species of Dileptus occur in fresh and salt water, as well as mosses and soils….
| Dileptus | |
|---|---|
| Class: | Litostomatea |
| Order: | Dileptida |
| Family: | Dileptidae |
| Genus: | Dileptus Dujardin, 1841 |
What happens when Dileptus reaches out to Litonotus?
Just as Litonotusdraws even, Dileptus’ neck reaches out. It conforms itself to the curve of Litonotus’ body. The contact between the organisms is delicate as a caress, but deadly. Litonotus’ pellicle ruptures, and cytoplasm begins to leak out.
How many species of Dileptus are there in the world?
Species of Dileptus occur in fresh and salt water, as well as mosses and soils. Most are aggressive predators equipped with long, mobile proboscides lined with toxic extrusomes, with which they stun smaller organisms before consuming them. 13 species and subspecies of Dileptus are currently recognized.
What does the mouth of a Dileptus look like?
Dileptusis usually drawn with its mouth open, a semicircular cutout at the base of its neck, and with long, shaggy cilia. But when Dileptusopens its mouth—an action that occurs at intervals; it doesn’t swim about with its cytosome gaping—the mouth doesn’t appear in silhouette but as a (relatively) huge, dark entry into the organism’s body.
What causes the body of the Dileptus to become less transparent?
Dileptuscontracts itself slightly and performs metaboly (creates a “waist” that, moving from anterior to posterior and back, molds the body into temporary, round “waves”). The contraction and metaboly cause Dileptus’ body to become less transparent because thicker. The vesicle containing Litonotusbegins to grow indistinct.