Glossary - Droplet - Microscopy of the Protozoa

Aboral	At the end of the body (opposite to the adoral zone).
Adoral	Near the mouth (oral zone).
Anterior	Part of the cell in the direction of normal movement (usually the front half of the cell) - opposite to posterior.
Apical	The most anterior region of a cell.
Axopodia	Long, thin, unbranched pseudopodia (e.g. in Actinophrys).
Buccal cavity	Deep oral cavity (mouth) containing compound ciliary organelles such as membranelles.
Cilia	Short, hair-like, motile extensions of protozoan cell (in Ciliates, e.g. Paramecium).
Cingulum	Transverse groove in Dinoflagellates (girdle, e.g. in Peridinium).
Cirri	Stiff, motile structure consisted of groups of cilia fused together. Can move as 'legs' on ciliates (e.g. on Euplotes).
Clathrum	Loosely arranged pharyngeal rods of the expansive mouth.
Cyrtos	Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually curved (e.g. in Nassula).
Cytostome	Cell mouth (the oral cavity), the region where food is taken in and food vacuoles are formed.
Cytopharynx	Nonciliated tubular channel leading from the cytostome into the cytoplasm (syn. gullet).
Dorsal	Side of the protozoan cell opposite to ventral.
Epicone	Part of a Dinoflagellate cell forward of a girdle (e.g. in Peridinium.
Epipodia	Cytoplasmic filaments that hold together the body of the testate amoeba and the test.
Epitheca	Epicone of armored Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.
Extrusomes	Membrane-bound structures which can discharge their contents outside the cell.
Filopodia	Pseudopodia that is very thin and slender and may branch, but don't rejoin (don't form a mesh).
Flagella	Long extensions of protozoan cell used in locomotion (in Flagellates).
Girdle	Transverse groove in Dinoflagellates (cingulum, e.g. in Peridinium).
Gullet	See Cytopharynx.
Hypocone	Part of a Dinoflagellate cell behind a girdle (e.g. in Peridinium.
Hypotheca	Hypocone of armored Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.
Kineties	Rows of cilia (e.g. in Tetrahymena).
Lobopodia	Blunt pseudopodia that can be tubular, and are composed of both ectoplasm and endoplasm.
Lorica	Protective, loose, external cell case.
Membranelles	Short, transverse rows of cilia, fused together to form a compound ciliary organelle.
Mucocysts	Extrusomes which can discharge a mucous mass (e.g. used in cyst formation).
Myoneme	Contractile element of the cytoplasm, for example a thread inside the stalk of sessile peritrich protozoans (e.g. Vorticella).
Operculum	The cover of the aperature of a protozoan cell (lid, covering flap).
Opisthe	Posterior daughter cell in an asexually dividing ciliate.
Pellicle	Outer surface of protozoan cell.
Peristome	Region about the cytostome, usually ciliated to aid in feeding.
Posterior	The part of the cell away from the direction of normal movement (opposite to anterior).
Proter	Anterior daughter cell in an asexually dividing ciliate (parental cell).
Pseudopodia	Motile, finger-like cytoplasmic projections used in feeding and locomotion (e.g. in Trichamoeba).
Reticulopodia	Long, branched pseudopodia that can form a very fine network (in Foraminiferans, e.g. in Spiroloculina).
Rhabdos	Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually straight.
Sulcus	Posterior extension of a girdle in Dinoflagellates (e.g. in Peridinium.
Rhabdos	Basket-like structure formed of trichites (cytopharyngeal basket), usually straight.
Telotroch	Free swimming, stalkless stage of peritrich protozoans (e.g. Vorticella).
Tentacle	Tubular, hollow, retractable extension of body of suctorian ciliates, used for feeding (e.g. in Acineta).
Test	Protozoan 'shell' - covering about the body (e.g. in Difflugia).
Trichites	Rod-like elements used to support the cytopharynx.
Trichocysts	Extrusomes which can discharge a fibrous rod when mechanically or chemically stimulated (e.g. in Paramecium).
Trophont	Feeding stage of an apostome ciliate.
Undulipodia	Cilli or flagella.
Undulating membrane	A membrane formed by fused rows of cillia (e.g. in Pleuronema).
Uroid	Distinct, posterior end of amoeba.
Ventral	Side of protozoan cell associated with oral structures (opposite to dorsal).
Vestibule	A bodily cavity leading to another cavity.
Zooid	An individual in a colonial animal - for example a single stalked, sessile form of peritrich protozoans (e.g. Carchesium).