Morphological studies on a new species of Orthodonella, with redescription of O. gutta (Cohn, 1866) Kahl, 1931 (Protozoa: Ciliophora: Synhymeniida) from coastal water off Qingdao, China

Abstract

The morphology and infraciliature of two marine synhymeniid ciliates, Orthodonella apohamatus nov. spec. and Orthodonella gutta (Cohn, 1866) Kahl, 1931, collected from coastal water off Qingdao, China, were studied on living cells and using protargol silver impregnation. The diagnosis for O. apohamatus nov. spec.: marine Orthodonella with length×width about 60–160×20–35 µm in vivo; lanceolate body shape with conspicuous beak-like projection at anterior end; 42–60 (mean 53) somatic kineties, including 28–42 on ventral and 13–20 on dorsal side; synhymenium with about 54–62 dikinetids; pharyngeal basket composed of 8–13 rods; four contractile vacuoles, two in middle near left margin and two at posterior end of cell; one elongated macronucleus and one micronucleus. Based on a Qingdao population, an improved diagnosis for the poorly known species, O. gutta is suggested: marine Orthodonella in vivo about 140–200×60–100 µm; body widely ellipsoidal with contractile beak-like anterior end; 62–74 (mean 66) somatic kineties with ca 41–48 ventral and 20–26 dorsal; synhymenium consisting of 43–70 dikinetids; 11–14 pharyngeal rods; one to several contractile vacuoles distributed in caudal area of cell; numerous cortical granules tiny and colourless; one ovoid macronucleus.