Light and electron microscopy of grazing by Poterioochromonas malhamensis (Chrysophyceae) on a range of phytoplankton taxa

Grazing of fluorescent latex beads, bacteria, and various species of phytoplankton by Poterioochromonas malhamensis (Pringsheim) Peterfi (about 8.0 mu m in diameter) was surveyed. The alga ingested fluorescent bends and various live or killed and nonmotile or motile organisms isms including bacteria, blue-green algae, green algae, diatoms, and chrysomonads. The size range of grazed prey was from 0.1 to 6.0 mu m for latex beads and from 1.0 mu m (bacteria) to about 21 mu m (Carteria inversa) for organisms. As many as 17 latex beads (2.0 mu m) or more than 10 Microcystis cells (5-6 mu m) were ingested by a single P. malhamensis cell. Following such grazing, the cell increased in volume by up to about 30-fold. The range of cell volume of ingested prey was from 0.52 mu m(3) (bacteria) to about 3178 mu m(3) (Carteria inversa). This study demonstrates for the first time that P. malhamensis is capable of grazing algae 2-3 times larger in diameter than its own cell and of grazing intact motile algae. Poterioochromonas malhamensis is an omnivorous grazer. Food vacuole formation and digestion processes were examined. The membrane that was derived from the plasma membrane and surrounded the prey disappeared sometime after ingestion. The food vacuole was then formed by successive fusion of numerous homogeneous vesicles accumulated around the prey. The prey was enclosed in a single membrane-bound food vacuole and then digested.