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A collagen‐like sheath in the arenaceous foraminifer Haliphysema (Protozoa)
Author(s) -
HEDLEY R. H.,
WAKEFIELD J. ST. J.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
journal of the royal microscopical society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.569
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2818
pISSN - 0368-3974
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2818.1967.tb04525.x
Subject(s) - protozoa , shell (structure) , anatomy , chemistry , biophysics , flexibility (engineering) , biology , materials science , composite material , microbiology and biotechnology , mathematics , statistics
SYNOPSIS The 1–2 μ protein fibres forming an internal lining to the fragile arenaceous shell of Haliphysema are made of 0.2 μ diameter, cross‐striated fibres, which have an axial period of approximately 670 A and six distinct intraperiod bands. It is suggested that the fibres may be collagen, a fibrous protein generally considered to occur in all animal phyla except the Protozoa. The flexibility of the shell imparted by such a collagenous sheath could account for the survival of this bizarre protozoan in the agitated conditions of the inter‐tidal zone.