Coleps

Kingdom: Chromista

Phylum: Ciliophora

Class: Prostomatea

Order: Prorodontida

Family: Colepidae

Genus: Coleps

 

Coleps is a genus of ciliates in the class Prostomatea with barrel-shaped bodies surrounded by regularly arranged plates composed of calcium carbonate.

 

Species of Coleps can grow up to 250 μm in length, but are usually under 100 μm in their longest axis.Coleps can be taxonomically distinguished by the ornamentation of the ectoplasmic plates which make up their test. These plates are located outside alveolar vesicles of the cell cortex, and contain both organic and inorganic components, the latter of which is mostly amorphous calcium carbonate.

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