Figure 1

Living observations on Sonderia vorax : general morphology. A. Ventral view. Part of striated band (arrow), the macronucleus, a food vacuole, and the oral opening (double arrowhead) are visible. S. vorax is a algae consumer. B. Ventral view with focus on oral cavity (double arrowhead) and somatic ciliature. C. Dorsal view on the ciliate with focus on oral ciliature within the oral cavity (double arrow). D. Lateral view of the ciliate with emphasis on striated band (arrow). E. Dorsal view showing the layer of ectosymbiotic bacteria (arrow). Abbreviations: a, algae; cv, contractile vacuole; fv, food vacuole; ma, macronucleus; mi, micronucleus; sc, somatic ciliature. Scale bars = 20 μm (A, B, E), 10 μm (C, D).