Morphogenesis and Molecular Phylogeny of a Soil Ciliate Uroleptoides longiseries (Foissner,Agatha and Berger, 2002) Berger 2008 (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

Morphogenesis of the hypotrich ciliate Uroleptoides longiseries, isolated from sandy soil beside the Yellow River, Suide, Yulin, Shaanxi Province, China, was investigated using protargol staining. The main events during binary fission are as follows: (1) the long frontoventral row is formed by a single anlage; (2) five frontoventral‐transverse cirral anlagen are formed in primary mode; (3) only the posterior part of the parental adoral zone of the membranelles is renewed; and (4) the oral primordium of the opisthe is formed intrakinetally. This is the first detailed record of all stages of morphogenesis for Uroleptoides. We also provide the first record of the small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) sequences for U. longiseries. Phylogenetic analyses based on the SSU rDNA sequences data show that Uroleptoides longiseries clusters with U. magnigranulosa with moderate to high support which together form a clade with Orthoamphisiella breviseries. These three species share the morphogenetic feature of the long frontoventral row being formed by a single anlage.     

Morphology,ontogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a new saline soil ciliate,Uroleptoides salina nov. spec. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia)

The morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a new saline soil hypotrich ciliate, Uroleptoides salina nov. spec., discovered from China, was investigated. The new species is characterized as follows: body 150–215 × 40–50 μm in vivo, slender and highly flexible; usually four ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules; contractile vacuole absent; cortical granules absent; endosymbiotic algae present; amphisiellid median cirral row consists of 14–25 cirri and terminates about 47% down length of body; usually three buccal cirri and 3–13 cirri left of anterior portion of amphisiellid median cirral row; 3–5 transverse cirri. Morphogenesis during binary fission is characterized by: (1) the parental adoral zone of membranelles is retained completely, parental paroral contributes to the formation of the undulating membranes anlage for the proter; (2) the oral primordium of the opisthe is formed apokinetally; and (3) the amphisiellid median cirral row is formed from two anlagen. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data show that Uroleptoides salina nov. spec. has a close relationship with its morphologically similar species, U. longiseries, U. magnigranulosus, Orthamphisiella breviseries, and Parabistichella variabilis.     

Light Microscopic Observations, Ultrastructure, and Molecular Phylogeny of Hicanonectes teleskopos n. g., n. sp., a Deep-Branching Relative of Diplomonads

ABSTRACT. We describe Hicanonectes teleskopos n. g., n. sp., a heterotrophic flagellate isolated from low-oxygen marine sediment. Hicanonectes teleskopos has a ventral groove and two unequal flagella, and rapidly rotates during swimming. At the ultrastructural level H. teleskopos is a "typical excavate": it displays flagellar vanes, a split right microtubular root, "I,""B," and "C" fibres, a singlet microtubular root, and a possible composite fibre. Small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene phylogenies and an "arched" B fibre demonstrate that H. teleskopos belongs to Fornicata (i.e. diplomonads, retortamonads, and relatives). It forms a clade with the deep-branching fornicate Carpediemonas , with moderate-to-strong bootstrap support, although their SSU rRNA gene sequences are quite dissimilar. Hicanonectes differs from Carpediemonas in cell shape, swimming behaviour, number of basal bodies (i.e. 4 vs. 3), number of flagellar vanes (i.e. 2 vs. 3), anterior root organization, and by having a cytopharynx. Like Carpediemonas and Dysnectes, Hicanonectes has conspicuous mitochondrion-like organelles that lack cristae and superficially resemble the hydrogenosomes of parabasalids, rather than the mitosomes of their closer relatives the diplomonads (e.g. Giardia ).     

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 Lamtostyla granulifera sinensis subsp. nov. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia) from a wetland in China

The morphology, morphogenesis and molecular phylogeny of a hypotrichous ciliate, Lamtostyla granulifera sinensis subsp. nov., isolated from northern China, were investigated. This population appeared highly similar in morphology to L. granulifera Foissner, 1997. However, on detailed investigation some non-overlapping features were identified, i.e., the body shape and the arrangement of the cortical granules. These differences suggested the separation at subspecies level. Furthermore, the morphogenesis of the new subspecies is described, which is characterized by: (1) the posterior part of the parental adoral zone of membranelles is renewed; (2) the amphisiellid median cirral row is formed from two anlagen; and (3) the frontoventral-transverse cirral anlagen II to VI generate one transverse cirrus each. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data show that Lamtostyla species are scattered in different clades. The monophyly of the genus Lamtostyla is also rejected by the AU test in this study.     

Morphological and Molecular Characterization of a New Species of Stephanopogon,Stephanopogon pattersoni n. sp.

Stephanopogon is a taxon of multiciliated protists that is now known to belong to Heterolobosea. Small subunit ribosomal DNA (SSU rDNA) phylogenies indicate that Stephanopogon is closely related to or descended from Percolomonas, a small tetraflagellate with a different feeding structure, thus these morphologically dissimilar taxa are of ongoing evolutionary interest. A new strain of Stephanopogon, KM041, was cultured, then characterized by light microscopy, electron microscopy, and SSU rDNA sequencing. KM041 is 18–35 μm (mean 26.8 μm) long, with six main ventral ciliary rows, one ventro‐lateral ciliary row, and three anterior barbs. It closely resembles Stephanopogon minuta Lei et al. 1999 in morphology, and is very closely related to an extinct culture “S. aff. minuta”, yet is markedly dissimilar in SSU rDNA sequence from a different isolate identified as S. minuta. This confirms that there are at least two distinct lineages of S. minuta‐like cells, and we describe KM041 as a new species, Stephanopogon pattersoni n. sp. The ultrastructure of KM041 resembles that of previously studied Stephanopogon species, though it has a novel paraxonemal structure in a few cilia. We note that a sub‐basal‐body pad and bulbous axosome are unlikely to be apomorphies for the Stephanopogon–Percolomonas clade.     

Morphology,ontogeny, and molecular phylogeny of two novel bakuellid-like hypotrichs (Ciliophora: Hypotrichia), with establishment of two new genera

The morphology, ontogeny and molecular phylogeny of Apobakuella fusca gen. n., sp. n. and Parabistichella variabilis gen. n., sp. n., from south China were investigated. Apobakuella fusca, brown colored, demonstrates bakuellid-like infraciliature, and a similar ontogenesis as the genus Bakuella. It is argued, however, that this species represents a novel genus, Apobakuella, which is characterized by two or more marginal rows on the right, several buccal and parabuccal cirri, and lack of frontoterminal and caudal cirri. Phylogenetic analysis based on SSU rRNA gene sequences supports the close relationship of Apobakuella with Neobakuella and Diaxonella within the core Urostylida. By contrast, Parabistichella variabilis has a dominant frontoventral row, few midventral pairs, a long midventral row, and one marginal row on each side. Its morphogenesis exhibits: (1) partial reorganization of the parental adoral membranelles; (2) over six frontoventral-transverse cirri anlagen; (3) intrakinetal development of the midventral row; and (4) very likely, formation of the frontoventral row from the midventral row anlage. Both the morphological characteristics and the SSU rRNA gene sequences suggest that it is incertae sedis among the basal hypotrichs. Further investigation of key taxa with additional molecular markers is required to reveal a better understanding on the phylogeny of Parabistichella.     

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.     

Phylogenetic affinities of Plagiocirrus Van Cleave and Mueller, 1932 with the description of a new species from the Pascagoula River, Mississippi

Plagiocirrus loboides n. sp. (Digenea: Opecoelidae) is described from Fundulus nottii, F. dispar blairae, F. chrysotus, and Notemigonus crysoleucas from the Pascagoula River in Mississippi. Plagiocirrus loboides differs from P. primus Van Cleave and Mueller, 1932, by having a longer postcecal space (14-25% of body length vs. about 7%); a more anterior vitellarium (extending at least to the middle of the ventral sucker vs. to its posterior margin); and larger eggs (51-71 microm long by 23-34 microm wide vs. 40-55 microm long by 30-35 microm wide). Plagiocirrus loboides differs from P. testeus Fritts, 1959, by having a long postcecal space (vs. < 5% of body length); irregular, oblique, contiguous testes (vs. strongly lobed, well separated, tandem testes); and a more extensive vitellarium. Plagiocirrus loboides differs from both congeners by having an ovary comprised of 3 or 4 distinct lobes rather than having an entire ovary. Plagiocirrus wuyienensis Wang, 1981, from Hemimyzon zebroidus in Fujian Province, China, is herein considered a species inquirenda because it has a Y-shaped excretory bladder. Molecular phylogenetic analysis of 28S rDNA gene fragments from P. loboides and 17 digenean species demonstrates that Plagiocirrus belongs in Opecoelidae.     

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.     

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,morphogenesis, and molecular phylogeny of a new marine urostylid ciliate (Ciliophora,Stichotrichia) from the South China Sea,and a brief overview of the convergent evolution of the midventral pattern within the Spirotrichea

The morphology, infraciliature, morphogenetic events, and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene‐based phylogeny of a stichotrich ciliate, Bergeriella ovata gen. et sp. nov. , found in coastal waters off Daya Bay, Guangdong, South China, were investigated. The new taxon has an atypical midventral pattern, and is characterized by several rather unusual morphological features: frontal cirri forming an irregular tricorona; one nonmigratory row located right of the midventral rows, which is morphogenetically derived from the posteriormost fronto‐ventral‐transverse (FVT) streak; conspicuously enlarged postoral ventral cirri, whereas the left ventral cirri are delicate and arranged in oblique rows. Based on both the morphological and morphogenetical data, a new family, Bergeriellidae fam. nov. , is proposed. In the SSU rRNA phylogenetic trees, B. ovata gen. et sp. nov. groups with the classic urostylids (urostylids s.s.) with high nodal support. Our phylogenetic analyses have revealed at least seven separate clades for midventral pattern‐bearing taxa (e.g. Pattersoniella, Neokeronopsis, Rigidothrix, urostylids s.s., Uroleptidae, Holostichidae + Psammomitridae, and Pseudoamphisiellidae), suggesting that the order Urostylida Jankowski, 1979 sensu Lynn, 2008 is a polyphyletic assemblage, and that the convergent evolution of the urostylid midventral pattern might have occurred more times among the spirotrichs than has previously been recognized. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 158 , 697–710.     

Description and Molecular Phylogeny of a Novel Hypotrich Ciliate from the Soil of Marche Region,Italy; Including Notes on the MOSYSS Project

The morphology and morphogenesis during cell division of a new stylonychine hypotrich, Rigidocortex quadrinucleatus n. sp., were investigated using live observation and protargol staining. The new species was isolated from soil samples collected from an organic farm in the Marche Region, Italy, in framework of the MOSYSS project. Rigidocortex quadrinucleatus is characterized as follows: cell size about 180 × 80 μm in vivo; four ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules; 44 adoral membranelles: 18 fronto‐ventral‐transverse cirri consisting of three frontal, four frontoventral, one buccal, three ventral, two pretransverse, and five transverse cirri; dorsal kinety 3 with multiple fragmentation; resting cyst with hyaline ridges. Rigidocortex quadrinucleatus mainly differs from the type species R. octonucleatus in having four (vs. eight) macronuclear nodules. Rigidocortex quadrinucleatus can be easily confused with Sterkiella cavicola since both have a rather similar ventral ciliature; however, they can be separated by the slightly higher number of cirri in the left marginal row that runs along the posterior cell's margin in R. quadrinucleatus. Morphogenesis on the ventral surface is highly similar to that of Sterkiella species, but differs significantly on the dorsal surface (multiple vs. simple fragmentation of dorsal kinety 3). Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequences consistently place the new species within the stylonychine oxytrichids, clustering closer to Gastrostyla steinii than to S. cavicola.     

Schmidingerothrix salinarum nov. spec. is the Molecular Sister of the Large Oxytrichid Clade (Ciliophora,Hypotricha)

In 2012, Foissner described a curious hypotrich: Schmidingerothrix extraordinaria. This ciliate, which he discovered in hypersaline soils (~100‰) from Namibia, had a frayed buccal lip, three‐rowed adoral membranelles, only one frontal cirrus, and a miniaturized first frontal membranelle, while a paroral membrane, dorsal bristle rows and buccal, transverse and caudal cirri were absent. All opisthe structures developed de novo, while parental structures were involved in the proter. When Foissner's study became available, we discovered a similar species in a Portuguese solar saltern, differing from S. extraordinaria mainly by the number of frontoventral cirral rows (3 vs. 1). Furthermore, parental structures were involved in the ontogenesis of both proter and opisthe. The small subunit (SSU) rDNA shows Schmidingerothrix as sister of a large clade containing most classical oxytrichids (e.g. Sterkiella, Oxytricha, Steinia) and many related taxa (e.g. Pattersoniella, Bistichella, Uroleptus). This clade shows a bifurcation named “Oxytricha subclade” and “Uroleptus subclade”. Foissner ( 2012 ) interpreted the peculiarities of Schmidingerothrix as a reduction caused by the extreme habitat. However, the molecular data do not exclude that Schmidingerothrix presents an ancient state. A morphology‐based scheme is presented, showing how the subclades might have evolved from a Schmidingerothrix‐like ancestor.     

Description of the life-cycle stages of Brachylaima cribbi n. sp. (Digenea: Brachylaimidae) derived from eggs recovered from human faeces in Australia

The life-cycle of Brachylaima cribbi n. sp. was established in the laboratory. Asymmetrical brachylaimid eggs, measuring 26-32 microm (29.1 microm) long and 16 -17.5 microm (16.6 microm) wide, were recovered from human faeces and fed to the helicid land snail Theba pisana as the first intermediate host. Sporocysts and cercariae were recovered from the T. pisana eight weeks after infection. The cercariae were used to infect the helicid land snails Cernuella virgata and Helix aspersa as second intermediate hosts. Metacercariae were recovered from the kidneys of these snails and used to infect mice. Adults of Brachylaima cribbi n. sp. were recovered from the small intestine of the mice. The differential features of B. cribbi n. sp. are the specificity for helicid snails as first and second intermediate hosts; characteristic ventral sucker and body cercarial chaetotaxy; and a long slender adult worm with equal size suckers in the first quarter of the worm, the ventral sucker occupying 41% of the body width, the uterus extending anterior to the ventral sucker and the vitelline follicles falling short of the posterior margin of the ventral sucker. No other known Brachylaima species exhibits all of these features. B. cribbi n. sp. is the first brachylaimid known to have infected humans and is probably of European origin, as the intermediate host snails were all introduced into Australia from Europe.     

Description of the Rare Marine Ciliate, Uronychia multicirrus Song, 1997 (Ciliophora; Euplotida) based on Morphology, Morphogenesis and SS rRNA Gene Sequence

ABSTRACT. A population of the marine euplotid ciliate, Uronychia multicirru s Song 1997 , found in the littoral zone of the Daya Bay, Guangdong, South China, was investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation method. This species is diagnosed by possessing a long row of ventral cirri, which has never been seen in all other known congeners. Divisional process, described based on protargol-impregnated specimens, is typical of the genus regarding its general pattern: (1) the oral primordia in both proter and opisthe develop de novo in two subcortical pouches, while the UM-anlage forms de novo (i.e. does not develop from the oral primordium); (2) five frontoventral-transverse (FVT)-cirral anlagen develop in a primary-mode on the cell surface, and almost all the cirri are derived from the FVT-anlagen, except the first frontal cirri, which are formed de novo in both dividers; (3) the species characteristic ventral row derives from the right-most FVT-anlage; (4) the parental structures do not take part in the construction of the marginal anlagen, and (5) the caudal cirri originate in the right-most two dorsal kineties in a multi-segmentation mode. The small subunit rRNA gene of U. multicirrus (GenBank accession number: EU267929) is 1,773 bp and differs by 0.9–1.41% from its closely related congeners.     

Morphology and molecular phylogeny of two new soil ciliates,Hemiurosomoida warreni nov. spec. and Hemiurosoma clampi nov. spec. (Ciliophora,Hypotrichia) from Tibet

Two novel hypotrichous ciliates, Hemiurosomoida warreni nov. spec. and Hemiurosoma clampi nov. spec., isolated from soil in the Lhalu Wetland and Motuo Virgin Forest in Tibet, respectively, were investigated using live observation and protargol staining. Hemiurosomoida warreni nov. spec. strongly resembles the type species H. longa but can be distinguished by its body size in vivo (110–145 × 30–40 μm vs. 50–100 × 18–40 μm), number of adoral membranelles (25–38 vs. 15–22), and numbers of right (29–39 vs. 14–23) and left (26–35 vs. 13–23) marginal cirri, transverse cirri (3 vs. 4 or 5) and macronuclear nodules (4–8 vs. 2). Hemiurosoma clampi nov. spec. is characterized by its vermiform body shape, colourless cortical granules distributed in irregular rows, two macronuclear nodules, three frontal cirri, one buccal cirrus, four frontoventral cirri ranged in a line, two transverse cirri, lacking postoral ventral and pretransverse ventral cirri, and marginal rows that are not posteriorly confluent. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA gene sequences suggest that Hemiurosomoida is not monophyletic. A close relationship is revealed between Hemiurosomoida warreni nov. spec., Parakahilella macrostoma, Hemiurosoma clampi nov. spec., and the type species Hemiurosoma terricola. As expected, all these species are classified within the “non-oxytrichid Dorsomarginalia”.     

Murdannia nampyana (Commelinaceae) sp. nov. from Kerala,India

Murdannia nampyana sp. nov. (Commelinaceae), collected from a marshy riparian area by the Kadambrayar River, near Bhramapuram Diesel Power Project, Kakkanad, Ernakulam district, Kerala is described. The new species can be distinguished from the similar species M. spirata G.Brückn. by its creeping habit, up to 1.5 m long with no definite base (vs erect, ascending, decumbent habit, with or without definite base), 1.1–2.2 cm wide flower diameter (vs 0.65–0.80 cm), petals 1.1 × 0.5–0.7 cm (vs 0.35–0.40 × 0.25–0.35 cm), 0.6–0.5–0.9 cm long stamen filaments (vs 0.06–0.15 cm), 0.20–0.25 cm long staminode filaments, (vs 0.06–0.15 cm), 2–3 smooth seeds per locule, with ridges and furrows and 1–2 small ventral depression on both side of the linear hilum and dorsal embryotega (vs 3–4 verrucose seeds per locule, with ridges and warts, 1–3 deep ventral pits on both side of elliptic hilum, edges of pits surrounded by warts, brownish powdery material in the testa and semidorsal embryotega).