Redescription of Favella ehrenbergii (Claparède and Lachmann, 1858) Jörgensen, 1924 (Ciliophora: Choreotrichia), with Phylogenetic Analyses Based on Small Subunit rRNA Gene Sequences

ABSTRACT. The identification of Favella ehrenbergii, a marine planktonic ciliate, has largely been based on its lorica features. This approach is potentially problematic given the polymorphic lorica during this organism's life cycle. We isolated a population of F. ehrenbergii from the coastal waters of Incheon, Korea, and revealed its infraciliature using the protargol staining method. Phylogenetic analysis based on small subunit rRNA gene sequences was also performed. Results showed that this population possessed 16 collar membranelles (CM) and about 100 somatic kineties. These features are highly conserved, even in later dividers. As such, the number of CM and somatic kineties can be used as key characteristics for identification of Favella species.     

Malacophrys viridis sp.n. (Malacophryidae fam.n.), ein Ciliat (Protozoa, Ciliophora) mit Merkmalen der Kinetofragminophora und Oligohymenophora

The morphology, infraciliature, and silverline system of Malacophrys viridis sp.n., a green-yellow coloured ciliate with symbiotic blue-green algae is described. Dying animals discharge a substance with a dark red autofluorescence. This curious ciliate shares features of the classes Kinetofragminophora (basket) and Oligohymenophora (true buccal cavity with two adoral membranelles and a paroral membrane). Its infraciliature and silverline system shows criteria of the orders Prostomatida, Nassulida-, Parahymenostomatida, Hymenostomatida, and Scuticociliatida. This unique combination allows us to create the new family Malacophryidae whose systematic position remains uncertain. Perhaps they are primitive Nassulida or Parahymenostomatida.     

Philaster hiatti 1 n. sp., a Holotrichous Ciliate from Hawaii2

SYNOPSIS. Philaster hiatti n. sp., a marine holotrichous ciliate is described from Hawaii. Anatomic studies were made on specimens treated with the Chatton-Lwoff silver impregnation technic. Particular attention was given to the buccal infraciliature. Anatomic data, especially of the buccal infraciliature, differ from those of Philaster digitiformis, the only species in the genus; a new species, Philaster hiatti, is therefore proposed for this ciliate.     

原生动物伪红色双轴虫细胞纤毛器微管胞器的直接荧光标记

应用荧光紫杉醇直接荧光标记法显示,原生动物纤毛虫伪红色双轴虫(Diaxonellapseudorubra)细胞纤毛器微管中,口围带基部含小膜托架及与托架相联系的肋壁微管;额腹横棘毛基部含前纵微管束、后纵微管束、横微管束和周围微管束,其微管在不同棘毛基部的定向和发达程度不一;缘棘毛基部含前纵微管束、后纵微管束。细胞形态发生过程中,前仔虫口纤毛器微管独立发生于老口围带内侧,在细胞形态发生末期新纤毛器微管形成时,尚有部分老额棘毛、横棘毛和缘棘毛残存,此后老结构逐渐被吸收。结果表明,伪红色双轴虫的纤毛器基部微管的分化很可能具有种属级的特异性,新纤毛器微管分化过程中老结构可能具有定位和物质贡献作用。     

青岛沿海的自由生聚缩虫属纤毛虫(原生动物,纤毛门,缘毛目)

涉及近年来采集自青岛沿海的自由生聚缩虫属纤毛虫14种,包括9个国内新纪录:交替聚缩虫Zoothamnium alternans Claparède & Lachmann,1859,弗氏聚缩虫Z. foissneri Ji et al.,2005,黑凯聚缩虫 Z. hiketes Precht,1935,海洋聚缩虫 Z. marinum Mereschkowski, 1879,霉聚缩虫Z. mocedo Entz,1884,倪氏聚缩虫 Z. nii Ji et al.,2005,拟树状聚缩虫 Z. pararbuscula Ji et al., 2005,王氏聚缩虫Z.wangi Ji et al., 2005,许氏聚缩虫 Z. xuianum Sun et al.,2005;以及其他5个已知种:群栖聚缩虫Z. commune Kahl, 1933,双缘聚缩虫Z. duplicatum Kahl,1933,巨大聚缩虫Z.maximum Song,1986,羽状聚缩虫Z.plumula Kahl,1933,中国聚缩虫Z.sinense Song,1991.对以上各种作了简要的综合性描述,并给出了种检索表.     

Pseudocohnilembus marinus n. sp., a Hymenostome Ciliate from the Virginia Coast.*

SYNOPSIS. Pseudocohnilembus marinus n. sp., a marine ciliate, is described from the Virginia coast. Morphologic studies were made on specimens treated by the Chatton-Lwoff silver impregnation technic. Particular attention is given to the infraciliature of the buccal apparatus and its importance to the systematics of the order Hymenostomatida. The buccal infraciliature of the new species differs from that of all other species of Pseudocohnilembus by the presence of a lateral bar of argentophilic granules at the posterior end of the inner membrane.     

Redescription of the rare heterotrichid ciliate,Copemetopus subsalsus Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940

The morphology and infraciliature of the rare heterotrichid ciliate Copemetopus subsalsus Villeneuve-Brachon, 1940 were studied in live and protargol-impregnated specimens and also by scanning electron microscopy. It is characterized by a dumbbell-shaped macronucleus, a specific dorsal brush cilia, an oblique peristome, and a distinct S-shaped adoral zone of membranelles equipped with whip-shaped anterior adoral membranelles.     

土壤腹毛类纤毛虫四新纪录种

利用非淹没培养皿法、活体观察和蛋白银染色法,研究了青岛的土壤纤毛虫,发现2属4种我国新纪录种:澳洲管膜虫(Cyrtohymena australis Foissner,1995)、四核管膜虫[C.quadrinucleata(DragescoNjine,1971)]、犬牙管膜虫[C.candens(Kahl,1932)]及迟钝澳纤虫(Australocirrus oscitans BlattererFoissner,1988)。文中对该4种纤毛虫的活体形态和纤毛图式进行了观察记述,补充了前人描述的不足,并依据统计学特征与相近种群进行了比较。     

A new soil hypotrich ciliate (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from Slovakia: Gonostomum albicarpathicum nov. spec

The morphology and infraciliature of the soil hypotrich ciliate, Gonostomum albicarpathicum nov. spec., collected from Biele Karpaty (White Carpathian Mts.), Slovakia, were investigated using living observations and the protargol impregnation method. This new species is distinguished from its congeners by a combination of characters including arrangement of macronuclear nodules forming a pair of nodules each ahead of and behind mid-body; 6-10 frontoventral cirri and 3 frontoterminal cirri forming a short row; first frontoterminal cirrus separated from the second by a slightly greater distance than between second and third.     

Taxonomie und Ökologie einiger Ciliaten (Protozoa,Ciliophora) des Saprobiensystems. I: Genera Litonotus,Amphileptus, Opisthodon

The morphology, infraciliature, and ecology of 8 species of the ciliate family Amphileptidae were investigated. A new species, Litonotus trichocystiferus nov. spec., and some new combinations and synonyms are described., Improved diagnoses are given for the genera Litonotus, Amphileptus, and Opisthodon.

     

Morphogenesis of infraciliature in the entodiniomorphid ciliate Eudiplodinium maggii

The morphogenesis of ciliary zones has been studied in the ciliate Eudiplodinium maggi which has a vestigial somatic infraciliature consisting of subcortical barren kinetosomes. These replicate and migrate into the subequatorial ciliary anlagen of the dividing cells. The kinetid pattern of the barren kinetosomes changes sequentially to that of the ciliary zones. Postciliary and transverse microtubules are derived from basal and cortically directed microtubules while a dense spur coincides with the origin of the kinetodesma. All kinetics produce potential cytopharyngeal components. Nematodesmata originate in granular subkinetosomal dense plates, while two of the three types of cytopharyngeal ribbon are formed from tansverse microtubules. A spatial selectivity ensures that these components extend only from specific kinetids. It is concluded that 91) morphogenesis of the intricate cytoskeletal network of infraciliature involves a “pattern generator” in the vestigial somatic kinetids; and 92) entodiniomorph stomatogenesis in not truly apokinetal but is more like the telokinetal process of related ciliates.     

Description of a new marine cyrtophorid ciliate, Dysteria derouxi nov. spec., with an updated key to 12 well-investigated Dysteria species (Ciliophora, Cyrtophorida)

The morphology of living cells and the infraciliature of a new marine cyrtophorid ciliate, Dysteria derouxi nov. spec., collected from the coastal area of Qingdao, China, have been investigated. This species is characterized by: size about 100×40 μm in vivo, body rectangular in outline; 8 ventral kineties in the right field, of which the right-most 3 extend dorso-apically; 6–9 short kineties in the left equatorial field; two ventral contractile vacuoles; and marine habitat. Based on the data of morphology and infraciliature, an updated key to 12 Dysteria species is supplied.     

Infraciliary Bands in the Rumen Ophryoscolecid Ciliate Ostracodinium gracile (Dogiel, 1925), Observed by Light Microscopy

ABSTRACT Morphological features of the rumen ciliate Ostracodinium gracile (Dogiel, 1925) are described from pyridinated silver carbonate-impregnated specimens. Ostracodinium gracile has a characteristic arrangement of infraciliary bands not present in other ophryoscolecid ciliates. Buccal infraciliature is composed of three polybrachykineties. The adoral polybrachykinety does not completely encircle the circumference of the vestibular opening, but arches ventrally from its right to left side. The dorsoadoral polybrachykinety extends laterally along the dorsal side of the vestibular opening. The vestibular polybrachykinety extends along the dorsal wall of the long tubular vestibulum. Dorsal infraciliature consists of the dorsal polybrachykinety that extends laterally along the dorsal side of the body. During binary fission, four primordia, that is ventral, right, left, and dorsal primordia, form in the stomatogenic field and develop into the adoral, dorsoadoral, vestibular, and dorsal polybrachykineties of the opisthe. respectively.     

Morphology and infraciliature of a new marine ciliate Euplotidium smalli n. sp. with description of a new genus,Paraeuplotidium n. g. (Ciliophora,Euplotida)

The morphology and infraciliature of a new hypotrichous ciliate, Euplotidium smalli n. sp., isolated from eutrophic coastal water in Korea, were observed in living cells and investigated using the protargol impregnation technique. This new ciliate bears 13-14 frontoventral cirri, 7 transverse cirri, and 5-6 dorsal kineties. Neither left marginal cirrus nor caudal cirrus is present. The new species differs from the related species, Euplotidium agitatum Noland, 1937 in the different number of frontoventral and transverse cirri and different body shape. With the exception of Euplotidium agitatum, the known species of the genus Euplotidium Noland, 1937 with the presence of left marginal cirrus are assigned to a new genus, Paraeuplotidium n. g. Diagnosis of Paraeuplotidium is: Gastrocirrhidae with funnel-shaped buccal cavity; with frontoventral and transverse cirri; left marginal cirrus present. Paraeuplotidium itoi (Ito, 1958) n. comb. is designated here the type species. Four additional species are included: Paraeuplotidium psammophilus (Vacelet, 1961) n. comb., Paraeuplotidium arenarium (Magagnini & Nobili, 1964) n. comb., Paraeuplotidium helgae (Hartwig, 1980) n. comb., and Paraeuplotidium prosaltans (Tuffrau, 1985) n. comb. An improved generic diagnosis of Euplotidium is suggested based on morphology and infraciliature characters: marine hypotrichs with a funnel-shaped buccal cavity; with frontoventral and transverse cirri; neither left marginal cirrus nor caudal cirri present.     

The Ultrastructure of Zosterodasys agamalievi (Ciliophora: Synhymeniida)

ABSTRACT. The cell surface of the synhymeniid ciliate, Zosterodasys agamalievi , consists of shallow kinetal grooves separated by low cortical ridges. Numerous electron-opaque bodies are located in the cortical ridges, inside the kinetal grooves, and are distributed in parallel rows between adjacent kineties. Well-developed alveoli are present beneath the cell surface membrane. Zosterodasys agamalievi has a single micronucleus and a homomerous macronucleus. The infraciliature of the somatic monokinetid consists of an anteriorly-directed kinetodesmal fiber, a well-developed divergent postciliary microtubular ribbon, radially-oriented transverse microtubules, and a short striated rootlet, which extends anteriorly from the base of the kinetosome into the cell. Zosterodasys agamalievi has a perioral band of paired cilia, the synhymenium, that winds obliquely across the ventral surface of the body, just posterior to the cytostome. The infraciliature of the anterior kinetosome of the synhymenium consists of two postciliary microtubules; a well-developed, divergent post-ciliary ribbon of microtubules and a short kinetodesmal fiber are associated with the posterior kinetosome. The cytopharynx is supported by 14-16 nematodesmata which are capped distally by a capitulum. The cytopharynx is bound proximally by a fibrous sheath and is lined by radially-arranged microtubular ribbons. No obvious oral ciliature is present.     

La Position Systematique du Genre Balantidium

SUMMARY. Since the work of Stein the systematic position of the genus Balantidium in the spirotrichous order Heterotrichida generally has been accepted without question. Reported here are some new observations, of taxonomic significance, on the infraciliature and on the mechanisms of stomatogenesis in Balantidium elongatum and B. entozoon. The results obtained verify and complete earlier cytological observations made by a number of authors; consideration of the present findings, however, suggests that Balantidium is a holotrichous ciliate of the type "prostomien" and that the family Balantidiidae logically belongs alongside that of the Plagiopylidae, in the holotrichous order Trichostomida.     

Frontonia microstoma, Kahl

Frontonia microstoma , a ciliate living in brackish water, is described. The somatic infraciliature, the buccal in-fraciliature and the fibrillar buccal system show essential characteristics of species of Frontoniidae Kahl. The number and the arrangement of vestibular kineties are specific. Dark blue-green pigment is formed by small ectoplasmic vesicles. Formation of cysts is frequent in natural medium and cultures. There is no dedifferentiation of ciliates when encysted. Excystment is induced readily. Thriving cultures of F. microstoma have been obtained by feeding the ciliates with appropriate species of Cyanophyceae. Growth was better in brackish water than in either sea water or fresh water.     

Observations on a Rare Ciliate, Discomorphella pectinata (Levander, 1894) Corliss, 1960

ABSTRACT. Specimens of the rare ciliate Discomorphella pectinata (Levander, 1894) Corliss, 1960 were impregnated with silver nitrate in 1963. The body is discoid, about 60 μ m long, laterally compressed and adorned with long spines. The somatic kineties on the right and left sides are sparse, sometimes disorganized, and locally without cilia. The oral zone has a complex infraciliature that lies above two series of ventral kineties and below a large, visor-like, epistomial fringe. The arrangement of this fringe is similar to that observed in some other heterotichous ciliates, notably members of the Metopidae and Caenomorphidae.