The life‐cycle in the ciliate Didinium nasutum with reference to encystment

Abstract

AbstractThree groups of pure lines of diverse clones of Didinium nasutum were maintained in isolation cultures for 778, 786, and 457 generations, respectively, without exhibiting any decrease in fission rate or any increase in encystment rate or death rate. These lines were supplied with Paramecium caudatum in such numbers that a surplus of food was present at all times.Three other groups of lines of the same clones were established simultaneously and cultured in parallel with the preceding groups, but the food of each of these lines was limited to nine paramecia per line daily. The fission rate of these lines fell to zero and the encystment rate increased to 100 per cent after 155, 165, and 113 generations of culture, respectively. The death rate increased appreciably in these lines prior to encystment.Other groups of pure lines were cultured on a diet limited to six paramecia per line daily. These lines encysted after approximately fifteen generations of culture.This evidence indicates that there is nothing in the nature of a definite life‐cycle in Didinium and that diminished vitality and encystment do not result from the passage of generations, but from inadequate and unfavorable cultural conditions–specifically, from in‐sufficient food. It shows further that it is possible to induce cycles with reference to encystment in Didinium by limiting the food supply and to vary the length of the cycles by varying the quantity of food.