Like other members of the familyTrachelocercidae,Tracheloraphis are relatively large (often >1 mm in length)ciliates with an elongated, worm-like shape, evenly-ciliated cell body, and a distinct "head and neck" region. Thecytostome ("mouth", or oral area) is at the apex of the anterior end and is surrounded by cilia (circumoral ciliature). They are distinguished from other genera in the family by having aglabrous stripe, an unciliated area running longitudinally along one side of the body.[1][2]
Tracheloraphis lives in the marineinterstitial habitat, living in the water between sediment grains like mostkaryorelictean ciliates. They are mostly found in fine- to medium-grained sediment where the grain diameter is between 120–400 μm.[3]
Although the "mouth" of the ciliate is usually assumed to be apical, it has been reported thatTracheloraphis can take up food through its glabrous stripe.[4] However, subsequent research has shown that feeding does occur through the apical end inTracheloraphis and a related genusSultanophrys, although feeding via the glabrous stripe cannot be completely ruled out.[5]
The genus was first defined by Jean Dragesco in 1960, withT. phoenicopterus (Cohn, 1866) (formerlyTrachelocerca phoenicopterus) as thetype species.[6] At least 55 species ofTracheloraphis have been described.[7]
^Lynn, Denis H. (2008).The ciliated protozoa : characterization, classification, and guide to the literature. New York: Springer.ISBN9781402082382.OCLC272311632.
^Carey, Philip G. (1992).Marine interstitial ciliates : an illustrated key (1st ed.). London: Chapman & Hall.ISBN978-0412406102.OCLC24715610.
^Giere, Olav (2009).Meiobenthology : the microscopic motile fauna of aquatic sediments (2nd ed.). Berlin: Springer. p. 109.ISBN9783540686576.OCLC310352202.
^Lenk, Susan E.; Small, Eugene B.; Gunderson, John (1984-03-01). "Preliminary observations of feeding in the psammobiotic ciliateTracheloraphis".Origins of Life.13 (3–4):229–234.doi:10.1007/BF00927174.ISSN0302-1688.
^Al-Rasheid, Khaled a. S.; Foissner, Wilhelm (1999-09-01). "Apical Feeding in the Karyorelictids (Protozoa, Ciliophora) Sultanophrys arabica and Tracheloraphis sp".Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology.46 (5):458–463.doi:10.1111/j.1550-7408.1999.tb06061.x.ISSN1550-7408.
^Dragesco, Jean (1960). "Les Ciliés mésopsammiques littoraux (Systématique, morphologie, écologie)".Trav. Stat. Biol. Roscoff. New Series.12:1–356.
