Aerial Sorocarp Development By the Aggregative Ciliate, Sorogena Stoianovitchae *

SYNOPSIS. Sorogena stoianovitchae Bradbury & Olive, an epiphytic ciliate found in various parts of the world, has a trophic stage that feeds on members of the ciliate genus Colpoda. When grown in the presence of the food ciliate, it multiplies rapidly. When the cells become abundant they aggregate at the water surface on inserted plant fragments or floating pollen grains, the sides of culture dishes, or on floating films such as those deposited by bacteria or pollen grains. an aggregate mounds up and becomes ensheathed above the water level, after which the mass of cells called a sorogen rises aerially at the apex of a stalk deposited at its base. the tapering, noncellular stalk consists of a conspicuously furrowed sheath that encloses a mucilaginous matrix. At completion of stalk development the cells of the sorogen become encysted. the sorocysts are commonly discharged by fracturing of the drying sorus. Alternating light and dark conditions are required for sorocarp development.