A New Genus of Marine Scuticociliate (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from Northern China, with a Brief Note on Its Phylogenetic Position Inferred from Small Subunit Ribosomal DNA Sequence Data |
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Authors: | XINPENG FAN MIAO MIAO KHALED A S AL-RASHEID WEIBO SONG |
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Institution: | Laboratory of Protozoology, KLM, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China, and; Department of Zoology, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia |
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Abstract: | ABSTRACT. The morphology, infraciliature, and silverline system of a new marine scuticociliate, Wilbertia typica n. g., n. sp., collected from coastal waters off northern China, were investigated. The new genus Wilbertia is characterized as follows: sculptured and dorso-ventrally flattened body; dominant buccal field that is almost completely surrounded by the paroral membrane; three apically positioned long membranelles, arranged in parallel; membranelle (M)1 and M2 prominent, M3 small; reticulate silverline system. The type species W. typica n. sp. is defined by having a conspicuous anterior beak-like protrusion; five to eight caudal cilia; M1 four-rowed, M2 two-rowed; M3, single-rowed, bipartite; 15 or 16 somatic kineties; contractile vacuole positioned just posterior to the buccal field; globular macronucleus. The small subunit ribosomal DNA sequence of W. typica is 98.5% similar to the similar morphotype, Eurystomatella sinica . Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Wilbertia groups with Eurystomatella sinica forming a branch that diverges at a deep level from all other pleuronematid scuticociliates. The molecular and morphological data indicate that Wilbertia should be placed within the family Eurystomatidae, which is closely related to the well-known Cyclidiidae. |
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Keywords: | Infraciliature new genus new species SSU rDNA sequence |
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