Massisteria marina Larsen and Patterson 1990

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 : 62

Massisteria marina Larsen and Patterson 1990 ( Fig. 3c )

Observation: Cells are 3 to 6.5 µm and dorso-ventrally flattened irregular body with delicate pseudopodia bearing extrusomes. The pseudopodia extend radially from the cell and normally adhere to the substrate. Two short curved flagella arise from the dorsal side of the cell and are relatively inactive. Rarely observed.

Remarks: Generally, the observations are in good agreement with those of Larsen and Patterson (1990) and Lee and Patterson (2000). Previously reported size ranges are 2 to 12 µm and this species was found at marine sites in Agean Sea ( Turkey), subtropical and tropical Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Gulf of Finland, equatorial Pacific, Korea and Panama (Larsen and Patterson 1990; Patterson and Fenchel 1990; Vørs 1992a, b; Vørs et al. 1995; Ekebom et al. 1996; Tong 1997a; Tong et al. 1998; Lee and Patterson 2000; Al-Qassab et al. 2002; Lee 2002b, 2006b; Aydin and Lee 2012).

Figures

Fig. 3. a–b –Rhynchobodo formica; c –Massisteria marina, general appearance of cell showing pseudopodia and flagella (arrow); d–f – Cercomonas sp.; d – note two acronematic flagella; e – general appearance; f – note flagellar orientation; g–h – Roombia truncata, note cell attached to the substrate by the tip of the posterior flagellum and note extrusomes; i – Protaspa obliqua, note anterior protrusion;j–k – Thaumatomastix setifera, note spines around the body; j – general appearance of cell; k – ventral face showing a deep groove and pseudopodia; l–m – Ancyromonas sigmoides of different cells; l – note slightly thick anterior flagellum with acronematic tip and broad rostrum; m – note thick anterior flagellum and acute rostrum; n–p – Ancyromonas impluvium nov. spec., showing general appearance of cell and note flagellar insertion.All micrographs are DIC images with the exceptions of (d) and (p) which are phase contrast images. Scale bar: 5 µm for all figures.