Protistology 4 (2) 97-105 (2005)
The cortical zone of skittle-like cells of Urospora chiridotae, a gregarine from an apode
holothuria Chiridota laevis
Andrey Yu. Dyakin 1 and Timur G. Simdyanov 2
1 St.Petersburg State University, Saint-Petersburg, Russia
Summary
Electron microscopic study revealed a unique structure of the cortical zone of the skittle-like cells of
Urospora chiridotae (Dogiel, 1906) Goodrich, 1925 (Eugregarinida: Urosporidae), a eugregarine from an apode holothuria
Chiridota laevis Fabricius, 1720. The cell surface is covered with numerous hair-like projections, cytopilia. Their
inner structure is formed by numerous longitudinal microtubules. These tubules are paired with fibrillar bands, making up a
uniform carcass within each cytopilion. Another unique feature of these cells is the presence of pellicular invaginations,
pellicular canals, at the bottom of which micropores are situated. The structure and function of both these structures are
discussed.
Key words: Urospora chiridotae, skittle-like cells, cytopilia, cortical zone, pellicular canals,
micropores
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