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.     

Morphology,Morphogenesis and Molecular Phylogeny of a New Obligate Halophile Ciliate,Schmidtiella ultrahalophila gen. nov., spec. nov. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia) Isolated from a Volcanic Crater on Sal (Cape Verde Islands)

A new hypotrichous ciliate, Schmidtiella ultrahalophila gen. nov., spec. nov., was isolated from a solar saltern on the island of Sal, Cape Verde. The possession of only one short dorsal kinety clearly distinguishes S. ultrahalophila from other known hypotrichous genera and species. Further diagnostic characters include: a flexible and slender body, an average size of 85 × 15 μm in vivo; a bipartite adoral zone with two hypertrophied frontal adoral membranelles and nine to twelve ventral adoral membranelles; three frontal, one parabuccal, two frontoventral, two or three postoral ventral, and two or three frontoterminal cirri; and marginal cirral rows variable in number, usually one on each side. Ontogenetic data indicate the following: the frontal‐ventral cirri originate from six or five anlagen; the proter inherits the parental adoral zone; the frontal and ventral cirri originate from five or six anlagen; and the marginal cirral rows and the dorsal kinety tend to originate intrakinetally. Additional marginal rows are rarely derived from de novo anlagen. Based on its morphology, morphogenesis and its SSU rRNA phylogenetic placement, the new species should be assigned to the order Sporadotrichida Fauré‐Fremiet, 1961. Due to low taxon sampling, however, its exact position in this order remains enigmatic.     

The morphology and morphogenesis of a marine ciliate,Epiclintes auricularis rarisetus nov. sspec. (Ciliophora,Epiclintidae), from the Yellow Sea

The morphology and morphogenesis of a marine ciliate, Epiclintes auricularis rarisetus nov. sspec., collected from Qingdao, northern China were studied on live and protargol-impregnated specimens. This isolate can be recognized by its elongate, contractile and tripartite body with a size of 200-400×20-40 μm in vivo, about 30 ventrally located adoral membranelles, short undulating membranes, 2-3 frontal and 10-18 transverse cirri as well as 8-9 fronto-midventral rows, 22-31 left and 35-54 right marginal cirri, but no caudal cirri, invariably 3 dorsal kineties, of which kineties 1 and 3 link together anteriorly, 24-70 macronuclear nodules, marine habitat, and contribution of almost all frontal-midventral transverse cirral anlagen (FVT anlagen) to the formation of fronto-midventral rows. In its divisional morphogenesis, this species demonstrates some features rarely if ever found in any other urostyloids, e.g. partial replacement of the old adoral zone of membranelles, de novo formation of the oral primordium and the anlagen for marginal rows and dorsal kineties, contribution of almost all FVT anlagen to the transverse cirri, lack of frontoterminal cirri. In addition, its morphogenesis appears to differ in detail from that of E. auricularis auricularis nov. stat., based on published data. These remarkable morphogenetic traits of Epiclintes suggests a questionable systematic position for this genus in the Urostyloidea, therefore, further researches are urgently needed.     

Morphology,ontogeny and molecular phylogeny of a new urostylid ciliate,Bakuella (Pseudobakuella) guangdongica n. sp. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia) from southern China

The morphology, morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of Bakuella (Pseudobakuella) guangdongica n. sp., isolated from southern China, were investigated. The new species is characterized by a body length of 150–225 μm in vivo; 35–42 adoral membranelles; 3–5 buccal, two frontoterminal, 7–12 transverse and two pretransverse ventral cirri; midventral complex comprised of 10–20 pairs and two rows extending to transverse cirri; posterior part of marginal rows slightly overlapping; colorless cortical granules about 1 μm across, arranged in small groups; soil habitat. Its main ontogenetic features are: (1) in the proter, the parental adoral zone of membranelles is completely renewed by new structures; (2) in the opisthe, the oral primordium originates apokinetally, some old midventral cirri join the formation of frontoventral-transverse cirral anlagen; (3) the anlagen for marginal rows and dorsal kineties develop intrakinetally; and (4) the numerous macronuclear nodules fuse into a single mass before dividing. Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rDNA sequence suggest the non-monophyly of the genus Bakuella.     

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.     

Morphology and ontogenesis of two new Hemiholosticha species (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia, Hemiholostichidae nov. fam.)

The morphology and ontogenesis of two new hypotrich ciliates, Hemiholosticha solitaria and Hemiholosticha germanica, were studied using live observation, protargol impregnation, and scanning electron microscopy. Both species share a medium-sized, almost globular body with a short anterior projection; two macronuclear nodules with a single micronucleus in between; a central contractile vacuole; three or four ventral, one postoral, one right and one left marginal cirral row; and three dorsal kineties extending along ribs. However, H. germanica is distinguished from congeners by a higher number of cirri in ventral rows R1 and R2 (3–6 vs. 2 cirri in each row). Hemiholosticha solitaria differs from congeners by having four (vs. three) ventral cirral rows and by the lack (vs. presence) of intracellular green algae. The ontogenesis of H. solitaria follows the H. pantanalensis mode in that (i) the oral primordium develops in a deep pouch and generates the first two cirral streaks in addition to adoral membranelles and undulating membranes, (ii) the undulating membrane anlage does not produce any cirri, and (iii) the longitudinal ventral cirral row R3 originates from two anlagen. The ontogenetic peculiarities along with the 18S rRNA gene phylogenies suggest classification of Hemiholosticha, Psilotrichides, and Urospinula into a new family, Hemiholostichidae.     

Cortical structure in non-dividing and dividing Diophrys japonica spec. nov. (Ciliophora, Euplotida) with notes on morphological variation

The morphology and morphogenesis of Diophrys japonica spec. nov., isolated from the Mie Port, Nagasaki, Japan, were investigated from life and following impregnation with protargol. The new species is recognized by the following characters: Body elliptical in outline and slightly greyish to yellowish in color; size in vivo about 80-120 x 50-70 microm; pellicle flexible, with underlying granules densely arranged in lines; ciliature comprising about 30-46 adoral membranelles, 4-7 frontal, 1-4 ventral and 4-7 transverse cirri, always 1 left marginal and 3 caudal cirri, and 4 dorsal kineties; usually two macronuclear nodules; fragment kinety with 2-5 dikinetids; marine habitat. The main morphogenetic events are: (1) the opisthe's oral primordium develops de novo in a subsurface pouch near the left transverse cirri; (2) the proter retains the parental AZM except for reorganization of some proximal membranelles; (3) cirral anlagen for the frontal, ventral and transverse cirri in both dividers develop separately from the oral primordium or parental cirri, and are derived from the separation of primary primordia that originate de novo; (4) the anlagen for the left marginal cirrus and fragment kinety also form de novo and separately; (5) dorsal kinety anlagen occur within the parental structures at mid-body and posterior end of the cell, of which the right-most one contributes three caudal cirri from its posterior portion. Based on available ontogenetic data, the author proposes that the numbers of left marginal and caudal cirri can be regarded as reliable characters for species identification, while the numbers of frontal, ventral and transverse cirri are not consistent enough for species distinction. A key to the eleven adequately known species of Diophrys is presented.     

Morphology,morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a freshwater ciliate,Monomicrocaryon euglenivorum euglenivorum (Ciliophora,Oxytrichidae)

The morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of the oxytrichid ciliate, Monomicrocaryon euglenivorum euglenivorum (Kahl, 1932) Foissner, 2016, isolated from freshwater in a seaside park, Guangzhou, China, were investigated. Monomicrocaryon euglenivorum euglenivorum can be recognized as follows: caudal cirri in midline of body; dorsal kinety 1 without a one-kinetid-wide gap; transverse cirri acicular or rod-shaped with a fringed distal end; right marginal row commences at level of buccal vertex or anterior to buccal vertex. The main events during binary fission are as follows: (1) the proter retains the parental adoral zone of membranelles entirely; (2) frontoventral-transverse cirral anlagen I–VI are segmented in the ordinary pattern 1:3:3:3:4:4 from left to right, which form three frontal, four frontoventral, one buccal, three postoral ventral, two pretransverse ventral and five transverse cirri, respectively; (3) dorsal morphogenesis is in the typical Oxytricha-pattern, but fragmentation of dorsal kinety 3 is indistinct; and (4) three caudal cirri are formed, one at the posterior end of each of dorsal kineties 1, 2 and 4. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequences showed that M. euglenivorum euglenivorum clustered with Kleinstyla dorsicirrata and Heterourosomoida lanceolata rather than with its congener M. elegans. The genus Monomicrocaryon is not monophyletic in this study; however, its monophyly is not rejected by the AU test.     

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 infraciliature of three species of Metaurostylopsis (Ciliophora, Stichotrichia): M. songi n. sp., M. salina n. sp., and M. marina (Kahl 1932) from sediments, saline ponds, and coastal waters

Two new urostylid ciliates, Metaurostylopsis songi n. sp. and Metaurostylopsis salina n. sp. and Metaurostylopsis marina (Kahl 1932) are investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation. These species were isolated in Korea from intertidal sediments, saline ponds, and coastal waters. Metaurostylopsis songi is in vivo about 120 microm x 25 microm, has a slenderly ellipsoidal body, colorless cortical granules in rows on ventral and dorsal body sides, about 54 macronuclear nodules, 28-47 adoral membranelles, five frontal, two or three frontoterminal and six or seven transverse cirri, and 9-12 midventral cirral pairs followed posteriorly by 1-3 single cirri. In vivo M. salina is about 60 microm x 25 microm, has a pyriform body, colorless cortical granules irregularly arranged, about 45 macronuclear nodules, 18-23 adoral membranelles, three frontal, three to five frontoterminal and two to five transverse cirri, and four or five midventral cirral pairs followed posteriorly by five to seven single cirri. Both species have three marginal cirral rows on each body side and 3 long dorsal kineties. The Korean specimens of M. marina match the Chinese population in all main features. Metaurostylopsis songi differs from M. marina by the more slender body, the number of frontal cirri (invariably five vs. four), and the arrangement of cortical granules (in rows on dorsal and ventral cortex vs. only along dorsal kineties and anterior body margin). Metaurostylopsis salina differs from its congeners by the distinctly smaller size, the pyriform body shape, the scattered cortical granules (vs. in rows), and number of frontal cirri. It differs from M. marina also by the number of midventral cirral pairs (four or five vs. seven to 11).     

Morphology and morphogenesis of Holosticha heterofoissneri nov. spec. from the Yellow Sea,China (Ciliophora,Hypotrichida)

The morphology and morphogenesis of the marine hypotrichous ciliate Holosticha heterofoissneri nov. spec. from mollusc culture in Qingdao, China are described based on living and protargol-impregnated specimens. The new species is characterized by: adoral zone slightly bipartite, consisting of on average 43 membranelles; constantly 5 dorsal kineties, and 12 pairs of cirri in midventral rows, and 14–16 macronuclear segments, which differs from the closely related species, H. foissneri. Its morphogenetic process shows the following features: (1) the parental AZM is retained unchanged and will be inherited by the proter, only the old UM reorganized; (2) FVT-cirral anlagen in both division parts derive from the breaking of primary primordia; (3) during the formation of FVT-cirral anlagen, most midventral cirri remain intact; and there appears an 'extra' anlage (EA) between the UMA and other FVT-cirral primordia; (4) the generation type of the dorsal kineties is of 'one group mode', the leftmost one of the 4 primordia fragmentates to form a new kinety; (5) at the early stage of morphogenesis, replication bands of macronuclear segments are apparently present.     

Cotterillia bromelicola nov. gen., nov. spec., a gonostomatid ciliate (Ciliophora, Hypotricha) from tank bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) with de novo originating dorsal kineties

Cotterillia bromelicola nov. gen., nov. spec. was discovered in the tanks of the Mexican bromeliad Tillandsia heterophylla. Its morphology, ontogenesis, and 18S rDNA were studied with standard methods. Cotterillia has many cirral rows on both sides of the body. Uniquely, and thus used to diagnose the new genus Cotterillia, it has dorsal kineties originating de novo, producing neokinetal waves where the parental dorsal kineties reorganize to “combined rows”, consisting of dorsal bristles anteriorly and of cirri posteriorly. Thus, up to four generations of bristles and cirri occur on the dorsal body surface. Cotterillia bromelicola has a gonostomatid body and adoral zone of membranelles, while the dense ciliature and the neokinetal waves resemble kahliellid hypotrichs. However, the de novo origin of anlage 1 and the molecular analyses show convincingly that Cotterillia belongs to the GonostomatidaeSmall and Lynn, 1985, for which an improved diagnosis is provided. Thus, neokinetal waves originated several times independently. The molecular differences between Trachelostyla, Gonostomum, and Cotterillia are small (≤5%) compared to their distinct morphologies and ontogeneses, suggesting that the 18S rDNA underestimates generic diversity. Our study emphasizes the need of combined morphological, ontogenetic, and molecular investigations to unravel the complex phylogeny and evolution of hypotrich ciliates.     

Morphology,ontogeny and molecular phylogeny of a new brackish water ciliate Bakuella subtropica sp. n. (Ciliophora,Hypotricha) from southern China

This paper investigates the morphology, ontogenesis and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene-based phylogeny of a new urostylid ciliate, Bakuella subtropica sp. n., discovered from the estuary of the Pearl River in Guangzhou, southern China. The new species is diagnosed by its elongate body, one buccal and one parabuccal cirrus, midventral complex comprised of 9–23 midventral pairs and one or two midventral rows extending to four fifths of body length, yellow-brown to yellow-greenish cortical granules and an estuary habitat. Its main ontogenetic features are: (1) in the proter, the parental adoral zone of membranelles is completely renewed by new structures and old midventral pairs join the formation of frontal-midventral-transverse cirral anlagen (FVT-anlagen); (2) in the opisthe, the oral primordium originates apokinetally, FVT-anlagen are formed besides and some old midventral cirri join the formation; (3) the anlagen for marginal rows and dorsal kineties develop intrakinetally; and (4) the numerous macronuclear nodules fuse into a single mass before dividing. Based on the SSU rDNA sequences, phylogenetic analyses show a close relationship between Bakuella subtropica sp. n., Apobakuella and Neobakuella, forming a clade separated from the other genera in the family Bakuellidae. Available morphological and ontogenetic data challenge the monophyly of Bakuellidae.     

Morphogenesis of the freshwater ciliate Neokeronopsis spectabilis (Kahl 1932) Warren et al., 2002, based on a China population (Ciliophora: Urostylidae)

The morphogenesis of the stichotrichous ciliate, Neokeronopsis spectabilis, collected from a freshwater pond near Harbin, north China, was observed following protargol impregnation. The overall morphogenetic events are characterized by: (1) the new oral primordium originates in association with the transverse cirri; (2) the proter's undulating membrane anlage is formed following the dedifferentiation of the parental endoral and paroral membranes, while the old adoral zone of membranelles is retained; (3) the fronto-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen originate independently on the right of the proter's undulating membrane anlage; (4) the left and right marginal cirri are derived from new anlagen that originate within the old marginal rows; (5) the generation of the dorsal kineties is of the "two-group-mode" with fragmentation and hence an oxytrichid pattern; and (6) similar to that in oxytrichids, the caudal cirri are formed at the posterior ends of the rightmost and two leftmost kineties of the group 1. Some new morphological data for N. spectabilis are also presented and the systematic position of the genus Neokeronopsis is briefly discussed. We conclude that its position among the urostylids is peripheral and that it very likely represents an intermediate form between the oxytrichids and urostylids.     

Morphogenesis of Cyrtohymena tetracirrata (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia, Oxytrichidae) during binary fission

Morphogenesis during the binary fission of the oxytrichid Cyrtohymena tetracirrata was investigated using protargol silver impregnation. The main process reveals the following characteristics, which generally resemble those of its congeners: (1) the proter retains the parental adoral zone of membranelles in its entirety, while the old undulating membranes join to form the UM-anlage in the proter; (2) eight frontal, five ventral, and four transverse cirri are derived from six streaks, namely, the UM-anlage and five FVT-cirral anlagen, which are segregated in the pattern of 1:2:3:3:4:4 from these primordia from left to right, respectively; (3) the generation of the dorsal kineties is of typical Oxytricha-pattern; and (4) one caudal cirrus is formed at the posterior ends of the 1st, 2nd and 4th dorsal kinety anlagen.     

Morphology and Morphogenesis of a Novel Saline Soil Hypotrichous Ciliate,Gonostomum sinicum nov. spec. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia, Gonostomatidae), Including a Report on the Small Subunit rDNA Sequence

Morphology, cirral pattern, and morphogenesis of the new saline soil hypotrich, Gonostomum sinicum nov. spec. collected from Longfeng Wetland in Daqing, north China, were studied, using detailed live observations and protargol‐stained specimens. The new species is characterized as follows: (i) a size in vivo of 100–125 × 30–40 μm, (ii) colorless cortical granules, 0.5 μm across, arranged in short rows, (iii) an adoral zone composed of 28–33 membranelles, (iv) three or four frontoventral rows, one of which extends onto the postoral area, (v) left and right marginal rows composed of 18–27 and 21–35, cirri, respectively, and (vi) usually two transverse cirri. Morphogenesis is as usual for the genus Gonostomum, i.e. the cirral primordia II–VI are primary primordia which split into two sets for proter and opisthe in division middle stages, except for anlage I which develops independently. However, the number of frontoventral transverse anlagen is either five or six not only in different individuals but even in proter and opisthe of the same divider. The phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequences showed that the genus Gonostomum is nonmonophyletic, indicating that the patterns of cirri and dorsal kineties are homoplasious characters. The new species G. sinicum nov. spec. is perhaps closely related to Cotterillia bromelicola and two congeners.     

Morphology,morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a new marine ciliate,Trichototaxis marina n. sp. (Ciliophora,Urostylida)

The live morphology, infraciliature and morphogenesis of a new urostylid ciliate, Trichototaxis marina n. sp., collected from coastal water in Qingdao, China, were studied based on the observations of live and silver stained specimens. The new species is characterised as follows: body very flexible and contractile, slight to brick-reddish in colour due to irregularly-shaped, brick-red pigments; ca. 70 adoral membranelles; about 17 frontal cirri arranged in a bicorona; average 67 midventral pairs, the right base of each pair being conspicuously larger than the left base; five to seven transverse cirri; constantly two frontoterminal, one buccal and two pretransverse ventral cirri; two or three left marginal rows; right and innermost left marginal rows with 56–92 and 66–106 cirri, respectively; six bipolar dorsal kineties; more than 100 macronuclear nodules. The characteristic morphogenetic feature in T. marina is the development of the left marginal rows, that is, only one left marginal row is newly built the other one or two being retained from the parental cell. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal gene sequence data reveal a close relationship of T. marina with members of family Pseudokeronopsidae.     

Description of a mirror-image doublet from a Brazilian strain of Gastrostyla setifera (Engelmann, 1862) Kent, 1882 (Ciliophora: Stichotrichia)

The present work describes a mirror-image doublet morph found in a Brazilian strain of the stichotrich ciliate Gastrostyla setifera (Engelmann, 1862) Kent, 1882, obtained from a sample of water and sediment from an urban freshwater stream in the city of Juiz de Fora (Minas Gerais, Brazil). The doublet measured 63 x 49 microm, and had two components where the right one has upside-down arranged adoral membranelles with a set of small oblique membranelles at its proximal (posterior) end. The fronto-ventral-transverse ciliature comprised 34 cirri, mostly related to the left component, as well as two marginal rows. On the dorsal surface there were eight dorsal kineties and six caudal cirri. Dorsomarginal kineties were lacking. The macronucleus comprised one irregular-shaped transverse nodule and two smaller roughly ellipsoid longitudinal nodules.     

盾圆双眉虫与伪寡毛双眉虫的形态学重描述(原生动物,纤毛门)

研究对采自青岛沿海的两种海洋纤毛虫-盾圆双眉虫与伪寡毛双眉虫做了形态学重描述。盾圆双眉虫与前人所报道的种群具有十分相似的纤毛图式,但在额-腹棘毛分布、大核片段、小膜及背触毛数目等方面表现出细微的变异性。此外,该青岛种群个体较小。统计学比较还表明,迄今缺乏研究的一海洋种,泥生双眉虫极可能为盾圆双眉虫(Diophrys scutum)的同物异名。伪寡毛双眉虫(Diophrys apoligothrix)为一新近报道的罕见种,研究基于新采集种群对其进行了补充性观察和描述。