Cohesion of Clonal Life History, Senescence and Rejuvenation Induced by Autogamy of the Histophagous Ciliate Tetrahymena rostrata.

The histophagous ciliate Tetrahymena rostrata was found as a parasite in the renal organs of the land snails Zonitoides nitidus and Cochlicopa lubrica. A starvation medium induced encystment, meiosis, autogamy, and development of new macronuclei. The cell division rate declined linearly with number of divisions from the last autogamy until senescence.

[Influence of Professor Konstanty Janicki's discoveries on progress in protistology].

Professor Konstanty Janicki published 11 protozoological papers. They concern the flagellate parasites of cockroaches and termites, as well as the amebas parasitising cockroaches and chaetognaths. He described the morphology and cytology of 12 species of flagellates, including 4 new species and genera.

[The scientific conference: Konstanty Janicki (1876-1932): Professor of Warsaw University, eminent zoologist and protistologist, creator of the Polish parasitological school].

The conference was organized for celebrating the memory of professor Konstanty Janicki, one of the most important Polish zoologist, protistologist and parasitologist. Professors Joanna Pijanowska, Edward Siński and Maria Doligalska were the hosts of the meeting at the Warsaw University. Four lectures were given during the conference.

[Trichomonadida and their hosts].

Relations of particular genera of Monocercomonadidae and Trichomonadidae with groups of hosts are discussed. Main hosts of these flagellates are insects (mainly termites) and cold-blooded vertebrates (amphibians and reptiles); the proper location within the host body is the intestine. Some representatives of these flagellates have changed their host and location and occur now in warm-blooded vertebrates (birds and mammals) and in man, usually in organs other than the intestine.

[Structure and evolution of Trichomonadida].

In the article the survey of data on morphology and ultrastructure of flagellates of the order Trichomonadida is given with special attention paid to Monocercomonadidae and Trichomonadidae. The evolution within these flagellates is considered as a series of changes leading to formation of undulating membrane and reinforcement of the cytoskeleton. In both families other two evolutionary tendencies may be also observed: reduction of the flagellar apparatus (in Monocercomonadidae) and enlargement of the number of free flagella (in both families).