title: Trimorphism in foraminifera (protozoa) - verification of an old hypothesis.
abstract: The formation of megalospheric schizonts by a microspheric agamont has been observed for the first time in a foraminifer, the living nummulitid Heterostegina depressa. This finding verifies part of the hypothesis of biologic trimorphism and forces retraction of the recent hypothesis, that the schizont is a separate apogamic species and not part of a trimorphic cycle. The production of large numbers of schizonts can explain high schizont densities in natural populations.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Allgemeine Mikrobiologie der Universitä Kiel, Biologiezentrum, Kiel, FRG.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Röttger
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Krüger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Rijk