Abstract
Two new ciliates—a heterotrich and a hypotrich—have recently been discovered in the shallow benthos of coral reefs on Guam. They are unusual for ciliates in having zooxanthellae, but they share this characteristic with corals and many other reef animals. The heterotrich was a new genus, named Maristentor dinoferus, the hypotrich a Euplotes sp., and the dinoflagellate partner a Symbiodinium sp. Apart from their interest as dual‐alveolate symbioses, the heterotrich has abundant, fluorescent pigment with intriguing possibilities for comparison with stentorin and blepharismin pigments from freshwater ciliates that serve in both phototropisms and chemical defense. Comparison with deep‐water corals also raises the possibility that the cortical pigment enhances photosynthesis of the zooxanthellae.
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