Morphology and molecular phylogeny of a Chinese population of Rubrioxytricha guamensis Kumar et al., 2018 (Ciliophora: Hypotrichia)

Abstract

ABSTRACT So far, Rubrioxytricha guamensis Kumar et al. 2018 is known only from the type locality, namely Guam, USA. Recently, another isolate was recorded from a freshwater habitat in China that is 3500 km from the type locality. Its morphology and molecular phylogeny were investigated using live observation, protargol staining and ribosomal gene sequencing methods. The morphology of the present isolate of R. guamensis corresponds well with that of the type population despite a broad range of morphometric data in the Chinese population. Conspecificity of the two populations is supported by 99.9% 18S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that these two populations of R. guamensis group together and cluster within the genus. The present study contributes to understanding the wide distribution of the species and helps to circumscribe the species. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:8D742552-78DA-4698-A316-BDAE0D887E92