The Ciliature and Infraciliature of Nyctotherus ovalis Leidy *

The structure of a cilium in Nyctotherus ovalis is that usually found: two single central filaments surrounded peripherally by nine double filaments; the whole is encased in a ciliary membrane continuous with the pellicle. The two central filaments end in a single enlarged bulb just above a septum, located at about the level of the pellicle, whereas the nine double filaments extend inward to form the cylindrical basal body, which is open at its inner end. Inside the basal body are granules àrranged in rows parallel to its sides. These granules may have significance in the origin of new basal bodies as well as in the outgrowth of new cilia. The latter may have been observed in a few instances. Parallel to the pellicle are two series of fibrils, one median and one inner, connecting adjacent basal bodies. Fibrils extend from the inner end of each basal body, these converge and extend deep into the ectoplasm, often becoming lost in a pattern of equilateral triangles, arranged to form hexagons. These features are clearly seen in the peristomial membranelles, where the basal bodies of the four rows of cilia are close together, separated from adjacent membranelles by a protoplasmic shelf and supported by a mass of fibrillar material comprising the peristomial ectoplasmic band. This broad band extends to the inner end of the peristome whence it returns along the opposite wall as a narrow mass of fibrillar ectoplasm without basal bodies. Peripherally the fibrils are condensed into fan‐like bundles; internally they often form a network of equilateral triangles arranged to form hexagons, with corpuscles at the intersections. Trichite‐like structures are also found in the peristomial groove and tube; these are connected to both the basal bodies and the fibrillar network. The functions, origin and development of this complex infraciliature during fission constitute one of the yet unsolved morphological problems in such complex ciliates.