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TRACHELOMONAS HISPIDA VAR. CORONATA (EUGLENOPHYCEAE), II. ENVELOPE SUBSTRUCTURE 1, 2
Author(s) -
West Larry K.,
Walne Patricia L.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
journal of phycology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.85
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1529-8817
pISSN - 0022-3646
DOI - 10.1111/j.1529-8817.1980.tb03067.x
Subject(s) - mucilage , electron micrographs , substructure , envelope (radar) , electron microscope , biology , electron diffraction , matrix (chemical analysis) , crystallography , materials science , biophysics , diffraction , botany , composite material , chemistry , optics , physics , telecommunications , radar , structural engineering , computer science , engineering
Envelopes of the mineralizing protist, Trachelomonas hispida var. coronata Lemm., were examined by light and electron microscopy and by electron diffraction analysis. The ellipsoidal hollow envelope is made of mineralized strands of mucilage (muci‐strands) that form a compact wall 0.2–4.0 μm thick, interspersed with numerous puncta 0.2–0.3 μm in diameter and, in some instances with tapered spines ca. 0.6 μm long and 0.7 μm wide at the base. The mucilage strands are cylindrical, anastomosing threads 20 nm thick. Electron‐dense, needle‐shaped mineral deposits form axial cores in the strands. Also, powdery granular mineral deposits are dispersed sparingly throughout the mucilage matrix. Micromicro‐electron diffraction analyses verify the crystalline nature of the needle‐shaped deposits, which are 4–9 nm thick and vary in length (20–100 nm). The mucilage strands and microcrystallites pervade the whole of the envelope matrix, including the spines, and may be preferentially oriented along the envelope surfaces.