Home / Non-PS_Flagellates_and_Ciliates / Choanoflagellates / Acanthoeca
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Name derivation:
Morphology:
Cells produce a lorica composed of tubular silica costal (rib-like) strips produced in ‘silicon deposition vesicles’to isolate the mechanism from general cell metabolism. After production the strips are deposited outside the cell membrane (exocytosed) (Marron et al. 2013). Similar production and exocytosis is found in diatoms, Synura and Ochromonas.
Similar genera:
Habitat:
References:
Marron, A.O., M.J. Alston, D. Heavens, M. Akam, M Caccamo, P.W.H. Holland and G. Walker 2013. A family of diatom-like silicon transporters in the siliceous loricate choanoflagellates. Proceedings of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences 280(1756): 20122543