trichocyst

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trich·o·cyst

 (trĭk′ə-sĭst′)
n.
An organelle in certain protozoans, especially ciliates, consisting of filamentous fibers that are discharged suddenly.
trich′o·cys′tic adj.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

trichocyst

(ˈtrɪkəˌsɪst)
n
(Zoology) any of various cavities on the surface of some ciliate protozoans, each containing a sensory thread that can be ejected
ˌtrichoˈcystic adj
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

trich•o•cyst

(ˈtrɪk əˌsɪst)

n.
a small sac in certain protozoans that contains a hairlike stinger.
[1850–55]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
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References in periodicals archive
Trichocyst digestion in Hyalophysa chattoni (Ciliophora: Apostomatida).
Causes, diagnostics, and distribution of an ongoing penaeid shrimp black gill epidemic in the U.S. South Atlantic Bight
The role of trichocyst discharge and backward swimming in escaping behavior of Paramecium from Dileptus margaritifer.
The Chemical Defense Ecology of Marine Unicellular Plankton: Constraints, Mechanisms, and Impacts
Another useful application of paramecia in a lab is stimulating them to release trichocysts. Trichocysts are carrot-shaped organelles of unknown function that are released in response to certain stimuli.
Effective long-term culturing of Paramecia
Some, such as Cochlodinium, form rod-shaped bodies (trichocysts) of different sizes that can be rapidly extruded and form sticky filaments (possibly also poisonous) that stick to and harm the gills of fish.
2 Pelagic life
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