FIG 1.

Rumen ciliate community composition in fractions of a rumen sample, evaluated by microscopic counting of ciliate cells (microscopy) and next-generation amplicon sequencing of ciliate 18S rRNA genes (sequencing). (a) Rumen sample obtained from sheep S4. (b) Rumen sample obtained from cow C1. No visible cells were detected in fractions 5 of sheep S4 and cow C1. Fraction 5 of sheep S4 did also not provide ≥750 sequencing reads. Fr, fraction. Buetschlia parva was observed only rarely and is not shown.