The Ciliata have so complex an organisation that, as with the Metazoa, it is well to begin with the description of a definite type. For this purpose we select Stylonychia mytilus, Ehrb. (Fig. 49), a species common in water rich in organic matter, and relatively large (1⁄75" = ⅓ mm.). It is broadly oval in outline, with the wide end anterior, truncate, and sloping to the left side behind; the back is convex, thinning greatly in front; the belly flat. It moves through the water either by continuous swimming or by jerks, and can either crawl steadily over the surface of a solid or an air surface such as an air bubble, or advance by springs, which recall those of a hunting spider. The boundary is everywhere a thin plasmic pellicle, very tender, and readily undergoing diffluence like the rest of the cell. From the pellicle pass the cilia, which are organically connected with it, though they may be traced a little deeper; they are arranged in slanting longitudinal rows, and are much and variously modified, according to their place and function. On the edge of the dorsal surface they are fine and motionless, probably only sensory (s.h.); except three, which protrude well over the hinder end (c.p.), stout, pointed, and frayed out at the ends, and possibly serving as oars or rudders for the darting movements. These are distinguished from simple cilia as "cirrhi."
Fig. 49.—Ventral view of Stylonychia mytilus. a.c, Abdominal cirrhi; an, anus discharging the shell of a Diatom; c.c, caudal cirrhi; c.p, dorsal cirrhi; cv, contractile vacuole; e, part of its replenishing canal; f.c, frontal cirrhi; f.v, food vacuoles; g, internal undulating membrane; l, lip; m, mouth or pharynx; mc, marginal cirrhi; N, N, lobes of meganucleus; n, n, micronuclei; o, anterior end; per, adoral membranellae; poc, preoral cilia; p.om, preoral undulating membrane; s.h, sense hairs. (Modified from Lang.)
At the right hand of the frontal area there begins, just within the dorsal edge, a row of strong cilium-like organs (Fig. 49, per); these, on careful examination, prove to be transverse triangular plates, which after death may fray into cilia.[[154]] They are the "adoral membranellae." This row passes to the left blunt angle, and there crosses over the edge of the body to the ventral aspect, and then curves inwards towards the median line, which it reaches about half-way back, where it passes into the pharynx (m). It forms the front and left-hand boundary of a wedge-shaped depression, the "peristomial area," the right-hand boundary being the "preoral ridge" or lip (l), which runs nearly on the median line, projecting downward and over the depression. This ridge bears on its inner and upper side a row of fine "preoral cilia" (poc) and a wide "preoral undulating membrane" (p.om), which extends horizontally across, below the peristomial area. The roof of this area bears along its right-hand edge an "internal undulating membrane" (g), and then, as we pass across to the left, first an "endoral membrane" and then an "endoral" row of cilia. In some allied genera (not in Stylonychia), at the base and on the inner side of each adoral membranella, is a "paroral" cilium. All these motile organs, with the exception of the preoral cilia, pass into the pharynx; but the adoral membranellae soon stop short for want of room. There are some seventy membranellae in the adoral wreath.
The rest of the ventral surface is marked by longitudinal lines, along which the remaining appendages are disposed. On either side is a row of "marginal cirrhi" (mc.), which, like the membranellae, may fray out into cilia, but are habitually stiff spine-like, and straight in these rows; these are the chief swimming organs. Other cirrhi, also arranged along longitudinal rows, with so many blank spaces that the arrangement has to be carefully looked for, occur in groups along the ventral surface. On the right of the peristome are a group which are all curved—the "frontal cirrhi" (f.c.). Behind the mouth is a second group—the "abdominal cirrhi" (a.c.), also curved hooks; and behind these again the straight spine-like "caudal" or "anal" cirrhi (c.c), which point backwards. These three sets of ventral cirrhi are the organs by which the animal executes its crawling and darting movements. Besides the mouth there are two other openings, both indistinguishable save at the very moment of discharge; the anus (an) which is dorsal, and the pore of the contractile vacuole, which is ventral.
The protoplasm of the body is sharply marked off into a soft, semi-fluid "endoplasm" or "endosarc," and a firmer "ectoplasm" or "ectosarc." The former is rich in granules of various kinds, and in food-vacuoles wherein the food is digested. The mode of ingestion, etc., is described below (p. [145]). The ectoplasm is honeycombed with alveoli of definite arrangement, the majority being radial to the surface or elongated channels running lengthwise; inside each of these lies a contractile plasmic streak or myoneme. The contractile vacuole (cv) lies in this layer, a little behind the mouth, and is in connexion with two canals, an anterior (e) and a posterior, from which it is replenished.
The nuclear apparatus lies on the inner boundary of the ectoplasm; it consists of (1) a large "meganucleus" formed of two ovoid lobes (N, N), united by a slender thread; and (2) two minute "micronuclei" (n, n), one against either lobe of the meganucleus.
Stylonychia multiplies by transverse fission, the details of which are considered on pp. [144], [147].
The protoplasm of Ciliata is the most differentiated that we find in the Protista, and we can speak without exaggeration of the "organs" formed thereby.
The form of the body, determined by the firm pellicle or plasmic membrane, is fairly constant for each species, though it may be subject to temporary flexures and contractions. The pellicle varies in rigidity; where the cilia are abundant it is proportionately delicate, and scarcely differs from the ectoplasm proper, save for not being alveolate. In the Peritrichaceae it is especially resistant and proof against decay. In Coleps (Gymnostomaceae) it is hardened and sculptured into the semblance of plate-armour, and the prominent points of the plates around the mouth serve as teeth to lacerate other active Protista, its prey; but, like the rest of the protoplasm, this disappears by decay soon after the death of the Coleps. Where, as in certain Oligotrichaceae, cilia are absent over part of the body, the pellicle is hardened; and on the dorsal face and sides of Dysteria it even assumes the character of a bivalve shell, and forms a tooth-like armature about the mouth.