Average number of living cryptomonad cells harbored by ciliate

Value 8 cryptomonads/cell
Organism Ciliate spp.
Reference Esteban GF, Fenchel T, Finlay BJ. Mixotrophy in ciliates. Protist. 2010 Dec161(5):621-41. doi: 10.1016/j.protis.2010.08.002 p.627 left column top paragraphPubMed ID20970377
Comments P.626 right column bottom paragraph: "Whether Mesodinium cells tend to move upwards or downwards in the water column is achieved by modifying the frequency of jumps (Fenchel and Hansen 2006). It has not, so far, been possible to maintain it in pure cultures although it has been possible to maintain raw cultures for longer periods in Petri dishes with a mixed microflora from the collecting site. But TEM [transmission electron microscopy] clearly shows that they ingest cryptomonad cells and that they maintain them in an intact state for some time before they are digested. Counting cryptomonad nuclei of freshly collected ciliates, shows that the ciliates on the average harbour eight living cryptomonad cells at any time (Fig. 3)."
Entered by Uri M
ID 114545