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Figure 7 | BMC Evolutionary Biology

Figure 7

From: Morphostasis in a novel eukaryote illuminates the evolutionary transition from phagotrophy to phototrophy: description of Rapaza viridis n. gen. et sp. (Euglenozoa, Euglenida)

Figure 7

Illustrations showing the transitional character states present in Rapaza viridis n. gen. et sp. that link phagotrophic euglenids with phototrophic euglenids. Illustrations of five different euglend cells emphasizing the size of the feeding apparatus, the number of flagella, and the presence or absence of chloroplasts, pyrenoids, paramylon grains and a stigma. The illustrations below each representative cell show the number of pellicle strips and whorls of posterior strip reduction as indicated by different colors. Pellicle strips that reach the posterior end of the cell are shown in yellow; strips that terminate before reaching the posterior end are shown in blue and purple. The solid grey lines that connect the terminating strips represent each exponential whorl of reduction. Note that the cell representing the Eutreptiales has one zigzag (exponential) whorl associated with two staggered subwhorls. The illustrations are based on the ultrastructural studies of Ploeotia [45–47], Heteronema scaphurum [48], the Eutreptiales (e.g., Eutreptia pertyi) [14, 19, 36, 49], and the Euglenales (e.g., Euglena laciniata for the pattern of pellicle strips and Eugelna gracilis for general shield-shaped plastids) [19, 50, 51].

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