dc:description"Figs 4a–o. Protospathidium lepidosomatum from life (a–f, i–k), after protargol impregnation (g, h, l–o), and in the SEM (i). a – left side view of a representative specimen, length 70 µm; b – mature extrusome, 2.5 µm; c – frontal view of oral bulge; d – slightly schematized dorsal brush; e, f – surface view and optical section of cortex; g, h – ciliary pattern of ventral and dorsal side and nuclear apparatus of holotype specimen, length 75 µm; i, k – details and overview of resting cyst in optical section. Note the nipple-shaped lepidosomes; j – body outline; l, m – maximum size variability; n, o – right and left side view, showing the ciliary pattern. BU – oral bulge, B(1–3) – dorsal brush (rows), CV – contractile vacuole, E – extrusomes, EL – external layer, EP – excretory pores, G – cortical granules, IL – internal layer, L – lipid droplets, MA – macronuclear nodules, MI – micronuclei, N – nematodesma bundle, OF – oral kinetofragments. Scale bars: 2.5 µm (i), 10 µm (k, n, o), 30 µm (a, l, m), and 40 µm (g, h).";
dc:description"Figs 5a–k. Protospathidium lepidosomatum after protargol impregnation. a, b – ventral and dorsal view, showing the nuclear apparatus and the heterostichad dorsal brush with end of row 1 marked by an arrowhead; c, d – right and left side view of anterior body region, showing the disconnected oral kinetofragments; e – rarely, the oral bulge extrusomes impregnate; f – arrowheads indicate nematodesma bundles originating from the oral kinetofragments; g–i – variability of macronucleus; j – a specimen with a large food vacuole containing a Vorticella; k – an inflated specimen with some food vacuoles up to 10 µm across. BU – oral bulge, B(1–3) – dorsal brush (rows), CV – contractile vacuole, E – extrusomes, EP – excretory pore, FV – food vacuoles, MA – macronuclear nodules, MI – micronucleus, OF – oral kinetofragments. Scale bars: 10 µm (e, f), 20 µm (c, d, j, k), and 30 µm (a, b, g–i).";
dc:description"Figs 6a–g. Protospathidium lepidosomatum from life (a–c), after protargol impregnation (d), and in the scanning electron microscope (e–g). a – optical section showing the external and internal cyst wall (opposed arrowheads); b, f – surface views showing the nipple-shaped lepidosomes (arrowheads); c – a squashed cyst, showing the thick wall (opposed arrowheads) and lepidosomes with a less refractive centre (arrows); d – the lepidosomes impregnate with the protargol method used; e, g – high magnification of the nipple-shaped lepidosomes (ar- rowheads). When detached, minute convexities become recognisable (arrows). L – lipid droplet. Scale bars: 2.5 µm (e, g) and 10 µm (a–d, f).";
