Widespread occurrence of populations of the unique autotrophic ciliate Metodinium rubrum (Ciliophora: Haptorida) in brackish and saline lakes of the Vestfold Hills (eastern Antarctica)

The occurrence of the unique autotrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum was investigated in a suite of lakes of various salinities situated in the Vestfold Hills oasis, Princess Elizabeth Land (eastern Antarctica). M. rubrum was found to occur in all but the most hypersaline lakes in the survey but was most numerous in the more brackish lakes. Salinity and water column temperature appeared to be the most important factors controlling the occurrence and abundance of this species. Nutrient levels (phosphate and nitrate) did not appear to be important controlling factors, although their influence may have been distorted by the fact that nutrient concentrations were generally higher in the more saline lakes. The widespread occurrence of this species in brackish and saline lakes of the Vestfold Hills provides opportunities to study the ecology and possible physiological and ultrastructural adaptations to living in a high-latitude environment of this ubiquitous and important species in marine microbial food webs.