Taxonomic and phylogenetic studies on two marine Cyrtophoria ciliates (Protista: Ciliophora: Phyllopharyngea) with the description of a new species

Abstract

The subclass Cyrtophoria is a group of morphologically specialized ciliates with diverse characteristics, which can be found in a variety of aquatic and terrestrial habitats. In the present study, two cyrtophorian ciliates, Aegyria oliva Claparède & Lachmann, 1859 and A. peculiaris sp. nov., isolated from coastal waters of China, were investigated based on microscopic observations of live and protargol-stained specimens, and SSU rRNA gene sequence analyses. For A. oliva, the type species of the genus, detailed morphometric data, and improved diagnosis are provided. The new species, Aegyria peculiaris sp. nov. is characterized by a body size of 70–115 × 30–65 μm in vivo, an inverted oval body shape with a protrusion at the anterior left and a posterior bulge on the dorsal side, 45–58 somatic kineties, 31–46 nematodesmal rods, 4–6 transpodial segments, and about six contractile vacuoles. Phylogenetic analyses unveiled a close relationship between the newly identified species and A. foissneri, thereby confirming the monophyly of the genus Aegyria. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:F5566374-DA6C-4E95-B8DA-19F935D949C8