Discotricha papillifera, n.g., n.sp. Cilié psammobie de la Famille des Trichopelmidae

A new sand-dwelling ciliate, Discotricha papillifera n.g., n.sp., is described and allocated to the trichostome family Trichopelmidae. The species seems to be one of the most highly differentiated members of the family. The peculiar type of its body ciliature and of its buccal structures suggests affinities with certain other major groups of ciliated protozoa; from an evolutionary point of view the organism appears to show close relationship to the gymnostome family Chlamydodontidae.