The body is globular with but slight differentiation into ectoplasm and endoplasm; one nucleus in the latter; contractile vacuoles one or many; pseudopodia on all sides, thin, and with peripheral granule-streaming; surrounded by a globular, rather thick coat of jelly, which is hyaline inside and granular on the periphery. Fresh and salt water.

Heterophrys myriapoda Archer. Fig. 6.

Synonym: H. marina Hert. & Less. '74.


Fig. 6.—Heterophrys myriapoda.
[ ENLARGE ]

Diameter 25 to 80µ; pseudopodia twice as long as the body diameter; the plasm often contains chlorophyll bodies (Zoochlorella). The granular part of the gelatinous layer is thick (up to 10µ). The spine-like processes are very thin and short. (Schaudinn '95.) The marine form found at Woods Hole probably belongs to this species, as described by Schaudinn. The short pseudopodia which give to the periphery a fringed appearance are quite regularly placed in connection with the pseudopodia. The latter are not so long as twice the body diameter, the longest being not more than equal to the diameter of the sphere. The body inside of the gelatinous covering is thickly coated with bright yellow cells similar to those on Radiolaria. The animal moves slowly along with a rolling motion similar to that described by Pènard '90, in the case of Acanthocystis. Diameter of entire globe 35µ; of the body without the jelly 18µ. The extremely fine granular pseudopodia are 8 to 35µ long. Common among algæ.

This form was probably meant by Peck '95, when be figured "a heliozoön."

Key to orders of Flagellidia.
Small, body usually amœboid; 1 or more flagella; no mouth Order [Monadida].
Small; plasmic collar around the flagellum Order [Choanoflagellida].
With 2 or more flagella; one trails behind Order [Heteromastigida].
With 3 or more flagella, none of which trails Order [Polymastigida].
Large; firm body wall; 1 or 2 flagella; mouth or pharynx, or both Order [Euglenida].
Medium size; with chlorophyll, no mouth, usually colonial Order Phytoflagellida.
Small; silicious skeleton; parasitic on Radiolaria or free Order Silicoflagellida.
(One genus,
[Distephanus] Stöhr)