Vorticella convallaria

Vorticella convallaria is a protozoan, the type species of the genus Vorticella. It resembles V. campanula, but differs in being somewhat narrow in the anterior end and usually having no refractile granules in the endoplasm.

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The cell body of this species is 50-95 μm long and 35-53 μm wide. The peristome ranges from 55-75 μm in diameter. The rod-like, contractile stalk is 25-300 μm long and 4 μm wide. It can collapse into a tightly coiled helix in under 1/60th of a second.^[1]

References

Further reading

• Maciejewski, J.J., E.J. Vacchiano, S.M. McCutcheon & H.E. Buhse, Jr. 1999. Cloning and Expression of a cDNA Encoding a Vorticella convallaria Spasmin: an EF-Hand Calcium-Binding Protein. The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 46(2): 165–173.
• Sallaq, R., D.H. van Winkle & J. Cao 2003. Determination of velocity, acceleration,and forces in the contraction of Vorticella convallaria. American Physical Society, Annual APS March Meeting 2003, March 3-7, 2003. Abstract #Y9.001
• Shiono, H. & Y. Naitoh 1997. Cellular contraction precedes membrane depolarization in Vorticella convallaria.PDF Journal of Experimental Biology 200(16): 2249–2261.
• Vacchiano, E., A. Dreisbach, D. Locascio, L. Castaneda, T. Vivian & H.E. Buhse, Jr. 1992. Morphogenetic Transitions and Cytoskeletal Elements of the Stalked Zooid and the Telotroch Stages in the Peritrich Ciliate Vorticella convallaria. The Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 39(1): 101–106.
• Wibel, R., E.J. Vacchiano & H.E. Buhse, Jr. 1993. Ultrastructural Study of the Cortex and Membrane Skeleton of Vorticella convallaria (Ciliophora: Peritricha). Transactions of the American Microscopical Society 112(2): 107–120.