Salinella: Monoblastozoa

Salinella moves by gliding on its hairlike fibers. It uses asexual (ay-SEK-shuh-wuhl) reproduction, or reproduction without the uniting of egg and sperm for the transfer of DNA from two parents, by splitting in half and growing into two full-sized individuals. However, another mode of reproduction was seen Salinella salve was found in 1892 in a culture of material from salt beds in Argentina. Because Salinella has not been observed since its discovery, some scientists doubt that it exists. (Illustration by Dan Erickson. Reproduced by permission.) in culture. Salinella appeared to form a cyst by the coupling of two individuals. Although the details of the process are unknown, a one-celled individual that possibly came from the cyst was found in the culture. It is not known whether sexual (SEK-shuh-wuhl) reproduction, or reproduction by the uniting of egg and sperm and the transfer of DNA from two parents, takes place within the cyst.