apostome

ciliate
verifiedCite
While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions.
Select Citation Style
Share
Share to social media
URL
https://mainten.top/science/apostome
Feedback
Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login).
Thank you for your feedback

Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.

External Websites
Also known as: Apostomatida

apostome, any protozoan of the small order Apostomatida (fewer than 50 species). Many are parasitic on marine crustaceans. The life cycle of apostomes is complex. Members of the genus Foettingeria, for example, multiply by fission, after which immature swimming forms called larvae, or tomites, develop, attach to crustaceans, form cysts, and develop within them. The small cytostome (mouth), when present, is often accompanied by a glandular rosette. The sparse hairlike projections (cilia) are arranged in spiral rows on the organism.