| Abstract: | The anterior adoral zone of syncilia (AZS) of Eudiplodinium maggii is mounted on an extrusible peristome within a vestibulum. The peristome contains cytopharyngeal components derived from the infraciliature. These components include a crescent-shaped palisade of nematodesmata, two types of sub-membrane cytopharyngeal ribbons, and an ensheathing fibrous layer enclosing a phagoplasmic zone containing the other components. A convoluted esophagus is continuous with and extends from the posterior of the cytopharynx adjacent to the macronucleus. A posterior cytoproct has specialized cytoplasm around it and associated myoneme-like elements. The skeletal plate is composed of finely granular platelets and lies under the cortex ventral to the macronucleus. The endoplasm is separated from the ectoplasm by a fibrous boundary layer. The cortex has an external glycocalyx, a membranous layer, epiplasm, and microtubular and microfilament layers. The AZS infraciliature is of the usual cntodiniomorph type, kinetosomes linked by a sub-kinetosomal rod and with associated bifurcated kinetodesma, postciliary and transverse microtubules-the latter extending into the cytopharynx—nematodesmata, and a fibrous reticulum. A possible vestigial, somatic infraciliature consisting of short, barren kinetosomes with associated basal and cortex-directed microtubules and a periodic incomplete fiber, is found subcortically throughout the cell. |
