Opalina

Opalina
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Chromalveolata
Division:	Heterokontophyta
Class:	Opalinea
Order:	Opalinida
Family:	Opalinidae
Genus:	Opalina Purkinye & Valentin, 1835

Opalina (so named by J. E. Purkinje and G. Valentin), is a genus of Protozoa found in the intestines of frogs and toads. It is without a mouth or contractile vacuole, covered with nearly equal flagelliform cilia, and possessing numerous nuclei, all similar. All the species are obligate endosymbionts, most likely commensal, improbably parasitic, in cold-blooded vertebrates. Its body is leaf like. Cytostome is absent and nutrition is saprozoic, suggestive of its commensal role.

An example of a species is Opalina ranarum.^[1]

Opalina is a girl's name of Indian / Hindu origin and means a Precious Stone. Taken from opal (a semiprecious gemstone which reflects light in a dazzling display of colors), which is ultimately derived from the Sanskrit word upala (precious stone, jewel). Variations of this name include Opal, Opale, Opala, Opalah, Opalia, Opaline, Opalyn, Opalyna, Opalynah, Opalyne.

References

1. ^ Woolley DM (November 2006). "Newly discovered linkages between the cortical (pellicular) ridges of Opalina". Eur. J. Protistol. 42 (4): 309–11. doi:10.1016/j.ejop.2006.08.002. PMID 17113476. http://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0932-4739(06)00050-2. 

 This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed (1911). Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.