Sticholonche

From open-encyclopedia.com - the free encyclopedia.

Sticholonche is a peculiar genus of heliozoan with a single species, S. zanclea, found in open oceans at depths from 100-500 metres. It is traditionally treated in its own order, called the Taxopodida, and has no known relatives. The cells are usually around 200 μm, though this varies considerably, and have a bilaterally symmetric shape, somewhat flattened and widened at the front. The axopods are arranged into distinct rows, six of which lie in a dorsal groove and are rigid, and the rest of which are mobile. They also have fourteen groups of prominent spines, and many smaller spicules. The mitochondria have tubular cristae.