Coleps

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Coleps

Coleps sp.

Scientific classification

Domain: Eukaryota

(unranked): SAR

(unranked): Alveolata

Phylum: Ciliophora

Class: Prostomatea

Order: Prorodontida

Family: Colepidae

Genus: Coleps
 Nitzsch, 1827

Conjugation of two Coleps sp.

Two similar-looking but sexually distinct partners connected at their front ends exchange genetic material
via a plasma bridge.

Coleps is a genus of ciliates in the class Prostomatea with barrel-shaped bodies and a test

made of biomineralized plates.[1]

Contents

 1Description
o 1.1Predatory behavior
 2References
 3Further reading

Description[edit]
Species of Coleps can grow up to 250 µm in length, but are usually under 100 µm in their
longest axis.[1] Coleps can be taxonomically distinguished by the ornamentation of
the ectoplasmic plates which make up their test.[1] These plates are located
outside alveolar vesicles of the cell cortex, and contain both organic and inorganic
components, the latter of which is mostly amorphous calcium carbonate.[2]

Predatory behavior[edit]
Coleps feeds on bacteria, algae, flagellates, living and dead ciliates, animal and plant tissues.
[3]
 Coleps uses toxicysts, which are organelles containing poison that it uses to capture its prey
from its oral area. It extrudes tube-like structures to force toxicysts into its prey and wait until its
prey becomes paralyzed. These toxicysts, however, takes about 5–10 minutes to be effective
on the prey of the Coleps and it separates itself from the prey during this time.[3] If there are
numerous Coleps hunting for the same prey, some Coleps will cling to its prey until the
toxicysts become effective and fragment the prey, consuming only a few parts.[3]

References[edit]
1. ^ Jump up to:a b c Carey, Philip G. (1992).  Marine Interstitial Ciliates  : An Illustrated Key.
London ; New York: Chapman Hall. pp. 44–47. ISBN 0-412-40610-1.
2. ^ Lemloh, Marie-Louise; Marin, Frédéric; Herbst, Frédéric; Plasseraud, Laurent;
Schweikert, Michael; Baier, Johannes; Bill, Joachim; Brümmer, Franz (2013). "Genesis of
amorphous calcium carbonate containing alveolar plates in the ciliate Coleps hirtus (Ciliophora,
Prostomatea)".  Journal of Structural Biology.  181  (2): 155–
161. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2012.12.001. PMID 23228488.
3. ^ Jump up to:a b c Buonanno, Federico; Anesi, Andrea; Guella, Graziano (January 2014).
"Chemical Offense by Means of Toxicysts in the Freshwater Ciliate, Coleps hirtus".  Eukaryotic
Microbiology.  61  (3): 293–304.  doi:10.1111/jeu.12106. PMID 24512001.

Further reading[edit]
 Wickham, Stephen A.; Gugenberger, Eva (November 2008). "Evaluating inducible
morphological defences in the common freshwater ciliate, Coleps hirtus". Journal of
Plankton Research. 30 (11): 1315–1321. doi:10.1093/plankt/fbn076. Retrieved 12
February 2015.
 “A comical beastie” at Microscopy-UK

Coleps sp., early (left) and late (right) phase of cell division