Membranelles (also
membranellae) are structures found around the mouth, or
cytostome, in
. They are typically arranged in series, to form an "adoral zone of membranelles", or AZM, on the left side of the buccal cavity (peristome).
[Lynn, Denis. The Ciliated Protozoa. Springer, 2008. p. 31. e- ] The membranelles are made up of
arranged in groups to make up
polykinetids. The
cilia which emerge from these structures appear to be fused and to function as a single membrane, which can be used to sweep particles of food into the cytostome, or for locomotion.
[Kudo, Richard R. Protozoology. 4th ed. Charles C. Thomas, 1954. p. 59.]
