Morphology and Notes on Morphogenesis during Cell Division of Deviata polycirrata n. sp. and of Deviata bacilliformis (Gelei, 1954) Eigner, 1995 (Ciliophora: Kahliellidae) from Argentina

ABSTRACT. Described herein are the morphology and certain morphogenetic stages of a new freshwater ciliate species, Deviata polycirrata n. sp., and of Deviata bacilliformis recorded in the soil of a dried temporary pond from Argentina. Ciliates were studied alive and after silver impregnation with Protargol. Deviata polycirrata n. sp. measures 130–180 × 45–70 μm in vivo. The species possesses 8–9 long cirral rows on the right and 9–13 on the left of the oral zone, and 3 dorsal rows of dikinetids. The adoral zone is composed of 39–48 membranelles. There are four macronuclear nodules and usually two micronuclei. A single contractile vacuole is located equatorially on the left body margin. This new species mainly differs from its congeners in having a higher number of cirral rows, the three long dorsal rows of dikinetids (vs. usually one to two dorsal rows of dikinetids), and a higher number of adoral membranelles. The other species reported here, D. bacilliformis, is recorded for the first time in Argentina. Unlike previous observations on this species, on the dorsal surface there are cirral rows that are preceded by cilia (combined cirral rows), and stomatogenesis begins with the proliferation of non‐ciliferous basal bodies some distance posterior to the buccal vertex.     

Morphology and Phylogeny of Two New Pleurostomatid Ciliates,Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. and Loxophyllum spirellum n. sp. (Protozoa,Ciliophora) from A Mangrove Wetland,South China

ABSTRACT. The morphology, infraciliature, and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequences of two new pleurostomatid ciliates, Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. and Loxophyllum spirellum n. sp., isolated from a mangrove wetland near Shenzhen, South China, were investigated. Epiphyllum shenzhenense n. sp. is morphologically characterized by leaf‐shaped cell about 150 × 35 μm in vivo, usually with four contractile vacuoles, 20–29 right kineties and 10–26 left kineties, ca. four macronuclear nodules, and two types of extrusomes (i.e. short spindle‐shaped and long bar‐shaped). As a new species, L. spirellum n. sp. is distinguished from its congeners by its posterior dorsal margin twisted onto the left side, the distribution of extrusomes (evenly arranged along the oral slit, the posterior end, and clustered to 7–13 warts on dorsal margin), the subterminally positioned contractile vacuole, the number of kineties (8–10 on right side, 4–5 on left side), and its genetic distance from congeners. Phylogenetic trees based on the SSU rRNA gene sequence for both organisms were constructed, which indicate that Epiphyllum is a distinct genus and occupies a basal position in the Pleurostomatida clade; L. spirellum n. sp. falls well into the Loxophyllum clade, which has a close relationship with Litonotus and Spiroloxophyllum.     

Morphogenesis and Molecular Phylogeny of a New Freshwater Ciliate,Notohymena apoaustralis n. sp. (Ciliophora,Oxytrichidae)

The live morphology, infraciliature, and morphogenesis of a new oxytrichid ciliate, Notohymena apoaustralis n. sp. collected from a freshwater pond in Qingdao (Tsingtao), China, were studied in vivo and after protargol impregnation. Notohymena apoaustralis n. sp. is characterized as follows: undulating membranes in Notohymena‐pattern; cortical granules yellow‐green, grouped around the marginal cirri and dorsal bristles, and in short irregular rows elsewhere in the cell; single contractile vacuole positioned at anterior 1/3 of the body length; two macronuclear nodules and one micronucleus; about 39 adoral membranelles; 18 frontoventral transverse cirri in typical Oxytricha‐pattern; one right and one left marginal row, almost confluent posteriorly; dorsal ciliature in typical Oxytricha‐pattern; 8–10 caudal cirri arranged in three rows, one each at the posterior end of dorsal kineties 1, 2, and 4, indistinguishable from marginal cirri in life. The morphogenetic process in N. apoaustralis n. sp. is consistent with that of the type species, Notohymena rubescens Blatterer and Foissner, 1988. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit rDNA sequence data suggest a sister relationship between N. apoaustralis n. sp. and Paraurostyla weissei, which cluster in a clade with Rubrioxytricha ferruginea.     

Morphology,morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of a novel saline soil ciliate,Heterourosomoida sinica n. sp. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

The living morphology, infraciliature, morphogenesis and phylogenetic position of a new hypotrichous ciliate, Heterourosomoida sinica n. sp., discovered in saline soil in Northwest of China, were investigated. Heterourosomoida sinica n. sp. is characterized as follows: body size about 70–95 × 20–30 μm in vivo, ellipsoid or elongate; cortical granules dark green, 0.5 μm across, arranged around dorsal cilia and in short irregular rows on ventral side; consistently 18 frontoventral-transverse cirri; left and right marginal rows composed of 17–24 and 13–21 cirri, respectively; two macronuclear nodules and one or two micronuclei. The detailed morphogenesis of a species of Heterourosomoida is reported for the first time. The ontogenesis on dorsal side is basically similar to that in Urosomoida-species and the process on ventral side is characterized by: 18 frontoventral-transverse cirri develop from six anlagen with the anlagen V and VI formed in the primary mode. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data reveal that Heterourosomoida sinica n. sp. clusters with Kleinstyla dorsicirrata and forms a clade with the type species H. lanceolata.     

Two new ciliates from Hong Kong coastal water: Orthodonella sinica n. sp. and Apokeronopsis wrighti n. sp. (Protozoa: Ciliophora)

ABSTRACT. The morphology and infraciliature of Orthodonella sinica n. sp. and Apokeronopsis wrighti n. sp., isolated from the coastal water off Hong Kong, were investigated in living and stained specimens. Orthodonella sinica n. sp. is diagnosed as: a marine Orthodonella 150–310 × 40–80 μm in vivo; with a dominant beak-like projection at the anterior end; about 70 somatic kineties; 84–126 dikinetids in the synhymenium; one contractile vacuole in the posterior one-fourth of cell, near the left margin; one conspicuous dorsal suture. Apokeronopsis wrighti n. sp. is diagnosed as: an Apokeronopsis about 150–230 × 35–55 μm in vivo; dark-reddish blood-cell-shaped cortical granules grouped in three rows on the ventral side and two rows on the dorsal side; 23–35 cirri in the right mid-ventral rows (MVR) and 23–32 cirri in the left MVR; six to eight buccal, two frontoterminal, 30–42 left marginal, and 32–43 right marginal cirri; 21–30 transverse cirri extending anteriorly beyond the level of mid-body; consistently three dorsal kineties. The separation of A. wrighti n. sp. and its highly similar congeners Apokeronopsis crassa and Apokeronopsis bergeri was supported by comparison of their SSrRNA gene sequences.     

Ontogeny and phylogeny of Metaurostylopsis cheni sp. n. (Protozoa,Ciliophora), with estimating the systematic position of Metaurostylopsis

Chen, X., Huang, J. & Song, W. (2010). Ontogeny and phylogeny of Metaurostylopsis cheni sp. n. (Protozoa, Ciliophora), with estimating the systematic position of Metaurostylopsis. —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 99–111. The ciliate genus Metaurostylopsis seems to be a highly divergent marine‐habiting group, of which neither systematic position nor the variation of their ontogeny has been critically checked. In the present work, the morphology and morphogenesis during asexual division of a new form, Metaurostylopsis cheni sp. n., isolated from the Yellow Sea, China, were investigated and comparison among known congeners was performed. The new species has two types of cortical granules, the larger ones of which are flattened and oval or circular in outline with a longitudinal groove, yellow–green in colour, and arranged along the cirral rows and dorsal kineties, whereas the smaller ones are colourless or grayish and sparsely distributed. The main morphogenetic features are: (i) the entire parental ciliature, including the old oral apparatus, is renewed, (ii) the oral primordium of the proter originates de novo and beneath the surface of the buccal cavity, that is, sub‐apokinetally, (iii) the anlagen of the marginal rows and of the dorsal kineties are formed intrakinetally and (iv) fusion of the macronuclear nodules results in an irregular mass with only few branches. The small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene of M. cheni was sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data shows that M. cheni clusters with all other Metaurostylopsis spp. sequenced to date indicating that the genus is monophyletic and is probably closely related to the Apokeronopsis–Thigmokeronopsis‐group, within the order Urostylida.     

Morphology,Morphogenesis, and Molecular Phylogeny of Paraparentocirrus sibillinensis n. gen., n. sp., a “Stylonychine Oxytrichidae” (Ciliophora,Hypotrichida) Without Transverse Cirri

A terrestrial oxytrichid ciliate Paraparentocirrus sibillinensis n. gen., n. sp., which was found in soil samples of a beech forest stand within the National Park of Sibillini Mountains, Italy, was investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation. The morphology of interphase, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny inferred from SSU rDNA sequences of this ciliate were studied. Paraparentocirrus n. gen., is mainly characterized by a semirigid body, an undulating membrane in the Oxytricha pattern, six fronto‐ventral (FV) rows, the absence of transverse cirri, one right and one left row of marginal cirri, four dorsal kineties, two dorsomarginal rows, and caudal cirri at the end of dorsal kinety 4. During morphogenesis, oral primordia develop through the proliferation of basal bodies from some cirri of FV rows 4 and 5, and FV row 6 takes part in the anlagen formation of the proter. The dorsal morphogenesis was typical of oxytrichids, with simple fragmentation of dorsal kinety 3, and the dorsomarginal rows developed from the right marginal row. Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rDNA sequences support the classification of this new genus in the stylonychines.     

Morphology,morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a novel soil ciliate,Afrokahliella paramacrostoma n. sp. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

A soil hypotrich ciliate, Afrokahliella paramacrostoma n. sp., was discovered in China. Its morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny were investigated using standard methods. The new species is characterized as follows: body about 140–180 × 60–70 μm in vivo, cortical granules absent, contractile vacuole positioned about 40% down length of body, 5–9 macronuclear nodules, 34–49 adoral membranelles, 3–5 buccal and 3–6 parabuccal cirri, usually two frontoventral rows, three or four left and two or three right marginal rows, three dorsal kineties and one dorsomarginal kinety; 1–3 and one or two caudal cirri located at the ends of dorsal kineties 1 and 2, respectively. The ontogenetic process is characterized by: (1) the marginal anlagen on each side develop in the outer right and the inner left marginal rows, respectively; (2) five frontoventral-transverse cirral anlagen, anlagen II–IV develop in secondary mode; (3) dorsal morphogenesis follows a typical Urosomoida-pattern, no parental dorsal kineties are retained; (4) caudal cirri are generated at the ends of dorsal kineties 1 and 2. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data reveals that Afrokahliella paramacrostoma n. sp. is closely related to Parakahliella macrostoma and Hemiurosomoida longa.     

Ontogeny and molecular phylogeny of a new marine ciliate genus,Heterokeronopsis g. n. (Protozoa,Ciliophora, Hypotricha), with description of a new species

The morphology and morphogenesis of a new ciliate, Heterokeronopsis pulchra g. n., sp. n., isolated from a mangrove wetland near Shenzhen, southern China, were investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation methods. Heterokeronopsis g. n. is characterized by having a bipartite adoral zone, an extremely shortened paroral membrane, frontal cirri arranged in an indistinct bicorona, a midventral complex composed of midventral pairs and midventral row(s), one left and one right marginal row, bipolar dorsal kineties, and buccal cirri; frontoterminal, transverse, and caudal cirri are absent. The single species H. pulchra sp. n. has a long, slender body that is brownish in colour, two kinds of cortical granules, one posteriorly located contractile vacuole, one buccal cirrus, usually six frontal cirri, three dorsal kineties, and one midventral row. The main morphogenetic features are: (i) the old oral apparatus is completely replaced by new structures derived from the oral primordium of the proter which originates de novo on the dorsal wall of the buccal cavity, (ii) the posteriormost frontal-midventral-transverse cirral anlage generates a midventral row, (iii) no frontoterminal and transverse cirri are formed, (iv) the anlagen for the marginal rows and the dorsal kineties are formed intrakinetally, and (v) the macronuclear nodules fuse into a mass at the middle stage. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data reveal that Heterokeronopsis pulchra is a member of the family Pseudokeronopsidae and is most closely related to Nothoholosticha fasciola.     

Morphology and cell division of Saudithrix terricola n. gen., n. sp., a large, stichotrich ciliate from Saudi Arabia

The morphology and main ontogenetic traits of a new stichotrich ciliate, Saudithrix terricola Foissner, AL-Rasheid and Berger n. gen., n. sp., from a terrestrial habitat in Saudi Arabia were investigated using live observation, protargol impregnation, and scanning electron microscopy. Saudithrix terricola is characterized by a large (200-350 x 70-150 microm), flexible body; an adoral zone formed like a three-quarter circle; a sickle-shaped buccal lip with a widened paroral forming a cyrtohymenid pattern with the endoral; 11 frontal and frontal-ventral cirral rows (including right marginal rows) and one left marginal row covering the ventral side; two buccal cirri; six to nine transverse cirri; three dorsal kineties; and two macronuclear nodules. The resting cyst is about 85 microm across, has a smooth wall, and a fluffy mucous layer. Most cirral anlagen originate within the parental rows and are arranged side by side, the proximal portion of the adoral zone of membranelles is reorganized, and some parental dorsal bristles are maintained. Neither the morphological nor the ontogenetic data reveal the systematic position of Saudithrix within the stichotrichs. The term multicorona is introduced and describes a frontal ciliature composed of four or more cirral bows.     

The Morphology of Three Loxophyllum Species (Ciliophora,Pleurostomatida) from Southern China,L. lembum sp. n., L. vesiculosum sp. n. and L. perihoplophorum Buddenbrock, 1920, with Notes on the Molecular Phylogeny of Loxophyllum

Two new pleurostomatid ciliates, Loxophyllum lembum sp. n., L. vesiculosum sp. n., and the poorly known L. perihoplophorum Buddenbrock, 1920, isolated from brackish waters in coastal regions of southern China, are described following observations of live cells and protargol‐impregnated specimens. Loxophyllum lembum sp. n. is distinguished by a combination of characters including two macronuclear nodules, 6–9 contractile vacuoles along the ventral margin, 11–14 right and 6–8 left kineties and the presence of cortical granules. Loxophyllum vesiculosum sp. n. differs from its congeners mainly by the unique distribution of contractile vacuoles, several of which lie along the dorsal margin and one on the ventral margin, and 15–21 right and 6–8 left kineties. Loxophyllum perihoplophorum is characterized by its large cell size (350–450 μm long in vivo), 3–5 contractile vacuoles along the dorsal margin in the posterior region of the body, and 19–23 right and 7–9 left kineties. An improved diagnosis of L. perihoplophorum is provided. The SSU rDNA sequence of L. perihoplophorum is reported for the first time and its molecular phylogeny is analyzed. Maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses of SSU rDNA sequence data recover the monophyly both of the order Pleurostomatida and of the genus Loxophyllum.     

Three new deep-sea species of Sphaerodoridae (Annelida,Polychaeta) from the eastern tropical South Pacific*

Three sphaerodorid species new to science are described from a manganese nodule area in abyssal depths of around 4150 m in the Peru Basin in the eastern South Pacific. Sphaerodoridium campanulata sp. n. is isolated within the genus, having, apart from spherical macrotubercles, additional dorsal stalked bell-shaped papillae, not previously described. Sphaerodoropsis discolis sp. n. is a species with four rows of dorsal macrotubercles and two pairs of lateral antennae. Sphaerodoropsis translucida sp. n. has six to seven rows of dorsal macrotubercles arrayed in two transverse rows per segment and two pairs of lateral antennae. A brief discussion points to the close relationship between Clavodorum and Sphaerodoridium, and to the present state of Sphaerodoropsis, being inhomogeneous in the characters of the arrangement of the dorsal macrotubercles and the numbers of the lateral antennae. An overview on the latter genus, with an attempt to subdivide it, is given.     

Morphology,Morphogenesis, and Molecular Phylogeny of Neobakuella aenigmatica n. sp. (Ciliophora,Spirotrichea, Bakuellidae)

The morphology and morphogenesis of a new ciliate species, Neobakuella aenigmatica n. sp., which was discovered in an estuary in Korea, were investigated, using live observation, protargol impregnation, and scanning electron microscopy. This new species is characterized by a large (185–300 × 55–105 μm in vivo), elongate‐ellipsoidal, flexible but not contractile body. It has ellipsoidal, yellowish cortical granules, 1.3 × 1.0 μm in size. The species has invariably 3 frontal and 2 frontoterminal cirri, about 5–10 buccal and 1–6 parabuccal cirri, 7 midventral rows, and 1 right and 2–4 left marginal rows. The outer left marginal row(s) consists of 1–7 short rows of cirri. The nuclear apparatus comprises 130 macronuclear nodules and 2 spherical micronuclei on average. The dorsal ciliature consists of 3 dorsal kineties. The leftmost left marginal row(s) likely develops from anlagen originating from both the rightmost and leftmost left marginal row(s). The molecular phylogenetic tree based on SSU rDNA suggests the nonmonophyly of the genus Neobakuella.     

Pleurotricha indica n. sp., a New Hypotrich Ciliate from the Indian Subcontinent1

A new species, Pleurotricha indica n. sp., is described, characterized by an average size of 220 × 119 μm, a firm and inflexible body, six rows of dorsal kineties, one left and two right rows of marginal cirri, and an “Oxytricha-like” pattern of ventral cirri. The parts of the macronucleus are variable in shape and number. The comparison with other members of the genus shows that P. indica differs from other congeneric species in the combination of these characters.     

A New Entodiniomorphid Ciliate,Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp., from the Wild Eastern Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii) from Uganda

ABSTRACT. Troglocorys cava n. g., n. sp. is described from the feces of wild eastern chimpanzee, Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii, in Uganda. This new species has a spherical body with a frontal lobe, a long vestibulum, a cytoproct located at the posterior dorsal side of the body, an ovoid macronucleus, a contractile vacuole near the cytoproct, and a large concavity on the left surface of the body. Buccal ciliature is non‐retractable and consists of three ciliary zones: an adoral zone surrounding the vestibular opening, a dorso‐adoral zone extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe, and a vestibular zone longitudinally extending in a gently spiral curve to line the surface of the vestibulum. Two non‐retractable somatic ciliary zones comprise arches over the body surface: a short dorsal ciliary arch extending transversely at the basis of the frontal lobe and a wide C‐shaped left ciliary arch in the left concavity. Because of the presence of three ciliary zones in the non‐retractable buccal ciliature, the present genus might be a member of the family Blepharocorythidae, but the large left concavity and the C‐shaped left ciliary arch are unique, such structures have never been described from other blepharocorythids.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">Spicocleidus namae</Emphasis> n. g., n. sp. (Monogenea: Dactylogyridae) on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chanda nama</Emphasis> (Hamilton) from Lucknow,India

Spicocleidus n. g. is proposed for S. namae n. sp., a new monogenean collected from the gills of an ambassid, Chanda nama (Ham.), in the River Sai near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India. The new genus is characterised by a pair of modified dorsal anchors (spikes), the absence of a dorsal bar, alate lateral expansion of the anterior haptor and the post-ovarian position of the testis.     

Updating the Trachelocercids (Ciliophora, Karyorelictea). I. A Detailed Description of the Infraciliature of Trachelolophos gigas N. G., N. Sp. and T. filum (Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986) N. Comb

ABSTRACT. Trachelolophos gigas n. g., n. sp. and T. filum (Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis, 1986) n. comb. (basionym: Tracheloraphis filum) were discovered in the mesopsammon of the French Atlantic coast at Roscoff. Their morphology and infraciliature were studied in live and protargol impregnated specimens. The new genus, Trachelolophos, belongs to the family Trachelocercidae and is unique in having a conspicuous ciliary tuft, which is very likely a highly modified brosse, in the oral cavity. The two species investigated have a very similar infraciliature, differing only in morphometric characteristics and in the nuclear configuration. The entire somatic and oral infraciliature consists of dikinetids which have both basal bodies ciliated or only the anterior or posterior ones, depending on the region of the cell. The right side is densely and uniformly ciliated. Its kineties extend onto the left side to the glabrous stripe, where an anterior and posterior secant system are formed, reducing the number of kineties in the narrowed neck and tail region. The left side bears a narrow glabrous stripe bordered by slightly irregularly arranged dikinetids having rather stiff cilia (bristles), possibly forming an uninterrupted, prolate ellipsoidal (bristle) kinety as indicated by their ciliation. The bristle kinety commences subapically at the right margin of the glabrous stripe, extends posteriorly, then anteriorly at the left, to end up at the right margin again. The dikinetids of the right posterior portion of the bristle kinety have the posterior basal bodies ciliated, whereas the anterior basal bodies are ciliated in its left and right anterior portion. The ends of the bristle kinety meet distinctly subapically at the right margin of the glabrous stripe, as indicated by the diametrically opposed ciliation of the dikinetids. The anterior region (head) of the cell bears a distinct circumoral kinety composed of very regularly arranged dikinetids, associated with nematodesmata forming an oral basket together with the nematodesmal bundles originating from the oralized somatic dikinetids at the anterior end of the somatic kineties. The systematics of trachelocercid ciliates are briefly reviewed and discussed.     

Steinernema weiseri n. sp. (Rhabditida,Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from Europe

Steinernema weiseri n. sp. is described from a roadside with apple trees near Ceské Budejovice, Czech Republic. The species is also widely distributed in Germany and Slovakia, from where it had previously been reported as Steinernema spec. F. The British Steinernema sp. D1 is considered conspecific with S. weiseri n. sp. Males of the new species are mainly characterised by light brown, slightly curved spicules with a long manubrium and the presence of a short tail mucron in the second generation. Third-stage infective juveniles are characterised by a `medium size' body and tail length, short hyaline tail portion (mostly around 1/3 of tail length), the excretory pore situated in the mid-pharynx region, lip region slightly offset, angular and flattened, and the lateral field having nine equally developed lines separated by eight distinct ridges. S. weiseri n. sp. is most similar to S. feltiae, with which it did not hybridise. RFLP analysis of the ITS region of the rDNA repeat shows S. weiseri n. sp. to be distinct from 50 other Steinernema species and isolates. The new species was found in a wide range of habitats and is readily maintained on Galleria mellonella larvae.     

Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Two New Ciliates,Holostichides heterotypicus n. sp. and Holosticha muuiensis n. sp. (Ciliophora: Urostylida)

Two new urostylid species, Holostichides heterotypicus n. sp. and Holosticha muuiensis n. sp., were discovered in South Korea. Morphological and phylogenetic analyses were carried out to confirm that these species are new to science. Holostichides heterotypicus is mainly characterized by the following combination of features: 110–205 μm long in vivo; 5–10 frontoterminal cirri; 6–8 midventral pairs with 2–3 midventral cirral rows; cortical granules present; four bipolar dorsal kineties; and 6–9 caudal cirri. Ontogenetic features of H. heterotypicus are similar to those of H. typicus. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that H. heterotypicus was distantly separated from bakuellid genera Apobakuella, Bakuella, Metaurostylopsis, and Neobakuella. This result is supported by the following features: transverse cirri (present in the other four bakuellids vs. absent in Holostichides) and caudal cirri (absent in the other four bakuellids vs. present in Holostichides). Holosticha muuiensis n. sp. is mainly distinguished from its congeners by the following combination of features: 100–185 long in vivo; shortened undulating membrane; cortical granules lacking; contractile vacuole absent; 51–66 adoral zone of membranelles; 42–60 macronuclear nodules; and five bipolar dorsal kineties. In the phylogenetic tree, Holosticha muuiensis n. sp. clustered with a Holosticha group (containing Holosticha diademata, Holosticha foissneri, and Holosticha heterofoissneri).