Evolution of Variations in the Common Pattern of Stomatogenesis in Peritrich Ciliates: Evidence from a Comparative Study Including a New Description of Stomatogenesis in Pseudepistylis songi Peng et al.,

Abstract

The stomatogenesis of peritrich ciliates is an important developmental process but has been studied relatively little for such a large, diverse taxon. Complex oral structures and an inability of staining techniques to reveal them clearly have been the major factors hindering investigation of this process. In the present study, an improved method of staining with protargol was used to investigate the entire process of stomatogenesis in a large, colonial species of peritrich, Pseudepistylis songi, and to compare it to descriptions of stomatogenesis in several other species. We found that P. songi and other peritrichs have the same general type of ophryobuccokinetal stomatogenesis, with the parental oral complex being inherited by one daughter and the new oral complex by the other daughter; however, some differences between individual taxa appear to have arisen in the course of evolution. Reorganization of the entire germinal kinety (Gk) to form the germinal anlage may be plesiomorphic, with restriction of reorganization to its abstomal part being apomorphic. Development of the entire new haplokinety of one daughter cell (2Hk) from the germinal band or its homologue also appears to be plesiomorphic, with development of peristomial and infundibular parts of 2Hk from separate rudiments being apomorphic. Furthermore, development of the new Gk of the parental oral complex (1Gk) from the entire infundibular part of the parental haplokinety (1Hk) may be plesiomorphic, and development from just the abstomal part may be apomorphic. Finally, development of the Gk of the new oral complex (2Gk) from residual kinetosomes of the germinal band appears to be plesiomorphic.