Ciliate Fauna Research Articles

Composition of the rumen ciliate population in experimental herds of cattle and sheep in Lethbridge, Alberta, Western Canada

Rumen ciliate populations were surveyed in 11 Holstein cattle and 6 sheep in Lethbridge (Alta., Canada) to determine species distribution in this Western Canadian environment. A total of 28 ciliate species were identified in cattle and 17 in sheep. The average total number of ciliates per millilitre of rumen content was 6.9 X 10(4) in cattle and 1.9 X 10(5) in sheep. The average number of species per host was 20.5 in cattle and 13.8 in sheep. Of the ciliate species detected, species of Entodinium appeared most frequently both in cattle and in sheep. Diplodinium polygonale, Eodinium lobatum, Eo. monolobum, Eremoplastron rostratum, Ostracodinium clipeolum, Os. mammosum, and Ophryoscolex purkynjei were not detected in sheep. In contrast, Ophryoscolex caudatus was not found in cattle. These data indicate that the ciliate faunas of cattle and sheep in this Western Canadian environment are similar to those found in Japan.

Abundance of autotrophic, mixotrophic and heterotrophic planktonic ciliates in shelf and slope waters

During early summer, the density of microplanktonic ciliates in the euphotic zone on Georges Bank (Northwest Atlantic) ranged from 600 to 13 000 cells 1 ' ; in the slope waters to the southeast of the bank, densities ranged from 1900 to 2800 cells 1 ' . Myrionecta rubra, a photosynthetic autotroph ciliate with a reduced algal endosymbiont, numerically comprised an average of 30 % of the microplanktonic ciliate fauna at stations in < 100m depth, but 3 % or less of the ciliate fauna at the deeper stations. Oligotrichous ciliates with chloroplasts are estimated to have contributed 34 O/ O of the ciliate fauna and were abundant at both shallow, unstratified stations on the bank and at deeper, stratified stations on the slope of the continental shelf and in the Gulf of Maine. Overall, about 50 O/O of the ciliates in the euphotic zone contained chlorophyll. At the shallow water stations, 2 species, M. rubra and Laboea strobila (a mixotrophic oligotrich) accounted for over 50 % of the biomass of ciliates with chlorophyll. At an irradiance of 100 pE m % l , M. rubra and L. strobila had photosynthetic rates of 85 and 465pg C fixed c e l l l h l , respectively. During summer, when phytoplankton biomass is low, autotrophic and mixotrophic ciliates may make an important contribution to photosynthesis in the larger size fractions and be an important source of food for larger organisms that rely on high quality, 2 15 to 20 pm food particles.

Rumen ciliate fauna of some Brazilian cattle: occurrence of several ciliates new to the rumen, including the cycloposthid Parentodinium africanum.

Parentodinium africanum was observed in rumen contents of four Brazilian cattle and constituted 4.4, 0.9, less than 0.1, and 10.0% of the total ciliates. This appears to be the first observation of the family Cycloposthiidae in the rumen habitat. Blepharoconus krugerensis, previously observed in the intestines of the elephant, and an unknown species of ciliate with many characteristics similar to the family Paraisotrichidae were each observed in a single animal. A new subspecies, Diplodinium flabellum laterospinatum n. subsp., is also described. Total number of ciliates per ml of rumen contents ranged from 9.0 to 51.2 X 10(4) and included an overall total of 55 species and 4 subspecies.

Ciliates of the Low-Salinity Lagoons of the Caspian Sea

Summary The species composition and ecology of the microbenthoc and periphytonic ciliates of three low-salinity lagoons of the Caspian Sea (the Little Kysylagach bay, the Agrakhan bay and the Divichinsky lagoon) were investigated. In all, 112 ciliate species belonging to 22 families were encountered; 97 species occurred in the microbenthos and 65 in the periphyton. In the microbenthos, 72 species were found in the Little Kysylagach bay, 66 in the Divichinsky lagoon, and 56 in the Agrakhan bay; in the periphyton 42, 36, and 30 species were recorded, respectively. The open Caspian sea and the lagoons shared 48 common species. The main background of the ciliate fauna of the lagoons was formed by freshwater species (about 70 %). The marine forms occurred mostly (32 species) in the Divichinsky lagoon, which can be explained by its somewhat higher salinity. The ciliate fauna shows three seasonal maxima of development: in spring, summer, and autumn. The spring and summer peaks of abundance are the highest ones in both the microbenthos and the periphyton. The ciliates are most numerous in muddy sediments with organic detritus and fragments of plants, where their year's average abundance attains 7.8 · 106 cells/m2. The main part of the fauna occurs in the uppermost layers of the sediments (0-1 and 1-2 cm). In muds, 80 % of the species occur in the layer 0-1 cm, while the maximum depth of penetration of the ciliates into the sediment reaches 5 cm. In muddy sands and clean sands, the ciliates penetrate down to 10 cm. The periphytonic ciliates are most diverse and abundant in the overgrowth of stones and metal constructions. Eurytopic species form the main background of the periphyton of the lagoons. However, various substrates show considerable differences as to the diversity and abundance of the ciliates.

Rumen Ciliate Fauna in the Chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra L.)

Crha J., V. Hrabe,P. Koubek: Rumen Ciliate Fauna in the Chamois (Rupi­ capra rupicapra L.J. Acta vet. Brno, 54, 1985: 141-147. Total numbers, generic distribution and percentage species distribution were determined for the ciliate protozoa in rumen fluid obtained frem the chamois (Rupi­ capra rupicapra L.J. Ten individuals shot in the Jeseniky Mountains in November and December were used in the study. A total of 792000 ± 115 03~ ciliates were found per 1,0 ml of rumen fluid. Thirteen ciliate species were identified as follows: Entodinium cervi, Ent. dubardi, Ent. exiguum, Ent. laeve, Ent. loboso-spinosum, Ent. nanellum, Ent. parvum, Ent. rupicaprae, Ent. simplex, Diplodinium costa tum, Eremo­ plastron impalae, Eudiplodinium maggii and Epidinium ecaudatum. Ciliata, Entodiniomorphida, rumen, wild ruminants.

Comparative Studies on the Intestinal Ciliate Fauna Excreted in the Feces of Yearlings, Bloodmares, Riding Horses and Racehorses

Comparative Studies on the Intestinal Ciliate Fauna Excreted in the Feces of Yearlings, Bloodmares, Riding Horses and Racehorses

Composition of intestinal ciliates and bacteria excreted in feces of the race-horse.

The ciliate fauna and the bacterial flora excreted in feces of 60 race-horses belonging to Japan Racing Association were surveyed. The results obtained were as follows: (1) Seven classes of ciliate protozoa including 49 species belonging to 22 genera, were identified. Of them, 5 species were newly recorded in Japan. (2) Average number of the ciliates was 9.03×104/ml. No difference of the value among the host ages (2-6 years old) was recognized. (3) Average number of the ciliate species was 21. No difference of the value among the host ages was also recognized. (4) Efficient correlation (P < 0.001) was recognized between the incidence and the number of both ciliate genera and species. So the ciliates occurring in high population density tended to distribute widely among horses. (5) Average number of total bacterial count was 1.23×1010/ml, and gram-negative rods were most predominant, followed by gram-positive cocci.

Ciliates of solar lake on the red sea shore

Solar Lake, about 20 km south of Elat, is a mesothermal, monomictic lake heated heliothermally. Its turnover occurs in the summer months, during July and August. During the rest of the year the lake is layered. The epilimnion is about 1 m thick, the metalimnion lying at a depth of 90–120 cm. The hypolimnion is anaerobic and can be heated to a maximum of 56.6 °C. The water is 4 to 6 m deep, depending on the season. During the stagnation period in the spring of 1978 qualitative measurements were made of the ciliate fauna in the lake. Samples were taken from the pelagic and benthic regions, from the shore to the middle of the lake. No ciliates were found in the entire pelagic region. All the 16 species found in the benthic region were in the zone of layered algal mats (Zone IV) and in the “pinacle algal mat” (Zone III) ( Krumbein and Cohen 1974). These two zones extend to the lower boundary of the epilimnion. In the algal mats of the deeper Zones II and I no ciliates were found. This result is apparently due to the high water temperatures prevailing at these depths and to the anaerobic conditions, for adequate food (algae and bacteria) is present. Stephanopogon apogon, Uronema nigricans, Uronema filificum, Parauronema virginianum, Pseudocohnilembus marinus, Halteria grandinella, Euplotes rariseta and Uronychia transfuga are bacteriophagous; the alga-eaters include Frontonia marina, Condylostoma reichi n. spec, Condylostoma patulum, Tachysoma spec, and Holosticha diademata. Enchelyodon trepida and Litonotus lamella are predators on other ciliates. One ecological characteristic shared by the species found is their high salinity tolerance. L. lamella, U. nigricans, H. grandinella and H. diademata are known to live in fresh water and in the ocean, and the main range of the other species covers a great variety of marine biotopes. The infraciliature of all the ciliates was studied with AgNO 3 (by the method of Chatton-Lwoff ) or protargol ( Wilbert ). Condylostoma reichi (Fig. 7) is new to science. New species and genus characteristics of Uronychia transfuga (Fig. 10, Fig. 11) are described, on the basis of infraciliature and morphogenetic stages.

Sedentary Ciliates from Two Dutch Freshwater Gammarus Species

The sedentary ciliate fauna living on the body surface of Gammarus tigrinus and G. pulex from Dutch freshwater habitats has been investigated. Fourty-seven ciliate species are found, of which 43 belong to the order Peritrichida, suborder Sessilina, 3 belong to the order Suctorida and 1 belongs to the order Chonotrichida. Two new species in the genera Intranstylum and Pseudocarchesium are described. It appears that there is a seasonal variation in the number of epizoic ciliates as well as in species composition. In general, the species with a contractile stalk are found on external, often fast-moving, body parts. Species with a noncontractile stalk seem to prefer more quiet and sheltered positions. After ecdysis there is a succession of the genera Epistylis and Zoothamnium, the latter becoming dominant on older exoskeletons.

Composition and volume of the rumen microbiota of sheep fed on grass silage with different sucrose, starch and cellulose supplements

A comparative study was made of the effect of different sucrose, starch and cellulose supplements and the effect of different silage preservatives on the quality and quantity of the rumen microbiota of sheep fed on grass silage. The levels of the carbohydrate supplements were 15 % and 30 % of the dry matter of the daily rations, representing 2 1/2 and 5 g/kg animal live weight per day. The silages were prepared with three different preservatives: 1) AIV I solution (25 % formic acid and 20 % hydrochloric acid), 2) formic acid and 3) Viher solution (26 %formic acid and 70 % formalin). The total number of ciliates was highest in the animals receiving sucrose with the silage, lower in those given starch and lowest in those given cellulose. On the pure silage diet, it was between those for the starch and cellulose diets. The total number of bacteria decreased in the opposite direction on the different diets. The sucrose supplements increased the numbers of small ciliates especially and the cellulose supplements those of the bigger ciliates. The total volume of the ciliate fauna was thus highest in the animals on cellulose diets, lower in those on starch diets and lowest in those on sucrose diets. The total microbe mass constituted the following percentages of the rumen content on the different diets: only silage 4.1, 15 % sucrose 3.5, 30 % sucrose 3.5, 15 % starch 4.0, 30 % starch 4.5, 15% cellulose 4.6 and 30 % cellulose 5.2. Bacteria constituted 77—86 % of the total microbe mass on the different diets, the precentage being highest on the sucrose diets and lowest on the cellulose diets. Only small differences were found between the different silage preservatives in the effect on the rumen microbiota.

A study of nutritional status of Finnish reindeer (Rangifer Tarandus L.) in differents months: I. Composition and volume of the rumen microbiota

The rumen microbiota were studied in free-ranging semi-domestic reindeer in Finnish Lapland under the nutritional conditions obtaining at two different sampling times. Qualitative and quantitative investigations were made of the rumen ciliate fauna and quantitative investigations of the rumen bacterial flora. The volume coefficients for rumen ciliates obtained by Westerling (1970) and that for rumen bacteria obtained by Warner (1962) were used to obtain an indication of the volume of the rumen microbe mass in reindeer. The rumen samples were collected in connection with the round-up and slaughter of reindeer, being taken from 30 animals in December and 29 animals in March. The reindeer slaughtered in December had normal access to food, but those slaughtered in March had grazed on better pastures and received a supplementary feed of hay. The total number of ciliate cells was over six times as high in March as in December, the numbers being 1 182900 and 188 300 per ml rumen contents, respectively. The corresponding total numbers of bacterial cells were 9.65 x 109 in March and 6.65 x 109 in December. The reason for the statistically significantly (P &lt; 0.01) higher numbers in March than in December is probably the better nutritional conditions of the herd slaughtered in March, not the time of the year. The ciliate fauna consisted of 19 different species, although not all the species were found in every sample. The percentage composition of the ciliate fauna did not vary considerably between the two sampling times. The volume of the total microbe mass constituted 8.2% of the rumen contents in March and 1.9 % in December, the average being 5.1 %. The proportion of the ciliate volume in the total microbe mass was clearly higher than that of the bacteria at both sampling times: 7.2 times as high in March and 1.7 times in December, the average being 4.7 times.

On the ciliate fauna associated with the marine species of the amphipod genus Gammarus J. G. Fabricius : Fenchel Tom, 1965. Ophelia, 2 (2): 281–303

On the ciliate fauna associated with the marine species of the amphipod genus Gammarus J. G. Fabricius : Fenchel Tom, 1965. Ophelia, 2 (2): 281–303

On the ciliate fauna associated with the marine species of the amphipod genusGammarusJ. G. fabricius

Abstract The present paper describes the ciliate epifauna found on the marine species of the amphipod genus Gammarus in Scandinavian waters. Twentyfive species of ciliates were found which, ecologically, could be placed in the following four groups: Suspension feeders, herbivores, carnivores, and parasites. It is shown that the forming of swarmers in sessile commensals (peritrichs and chonotrichs) is correlated with the moulting of the host. While most of the epizoans found on Ganunarus are specific for the genus, the distribution of the ciliates within the host genus is controlled mainly by environmental factors. especially salinity. The marine and brackish water Gammarus species have no ciliates in common with the fresh-water species G. lacustris. Even G. duebeni, when living in freshwater, has an impoverished marine fauna of ciliates. Brackish water populations of Gammarus species were found to harbour the greatest number of ciliate species. This is in contrast to the general concept that a smaller number of species is found in brackish water than in similar localities in the sea and in fresh-water. This is explained by the fact that Gammarus forms much denser populations and has a much wider distribution in brackish water than in marine environments.

Ciliates from Scandinavian molluscs

Abstract The present paper describes the ciliate fauna living on the ciliated epithelia of aquatic invertebrates, especially bivalves, from a systematical and an ecological point of view. In 64 Scandinavian invertebrate species, of which 57 were lamellibranchs, 47 morphologically distinct ciliate species were found of which 14 are new to science. The majority of these ciliates belongs to the order Thigmotrichida, the remainder being representatives of the families Urceolariidae, Licnophoridae and Euplotidae. A new family, Peniculistomatidae is created to contain Peniculistoma mytili (De Morgan), which possesses many characters in common with the pleuronematine hymenostomes and therefore must be considered as the most primitive thigmotrich. Conchophtheridae and Thigrnophryidae are considered to be specialized families. Three types of morphological adaptations were found within the ciliates of lamellibranchs. In all types, however, the organelles of attachment and a body shape giving minimum resistance to w...

Ciliates of the rumen of domestic cattle (Bos taurusL.)

Abstract An examination has been made of the ciliate fauna present in the rumens of four cows on diets of grass hay and fresh red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). Species of eight genera of oligotrich ciliates and four genera of holotrichs are listed, and the measurements of specimens of each species are summarised. Epidinium Crawley, Entodinium Stein, and Eremoplastron Kofoid and MacLennan were the predominant genera. Buetschlia parva Schuberg, only previously reported on a few occasions, and Charon equi Hsiung were found in all animals. This is the first reported occurrence of the latter organism outside the colon of the horse.

Some ciliates from Western Norway

Abstract In connection with another investigation, I have been able to make some observations of the ciliate fauna in the surroundings of the Biological Station, Espegrend. Most of the samples have been collected from rockpools on small islands in the neighbourhood of the station. A few samples come from a brook in the station area and still fewer from rain-wet moss growing on a hill in the vicinity of the laboratory.

Biological studies of some tussock-grassland soils

Summary The microfauna occurring in cultures of three tussock-grassland soils has been examined through three seasons. All three soils had a typical grassland fauna. Of the two major protozoan groups studied, the rhizopods and the ciliates, the ciliate fauna was in each case larger than the rhizopod fauna and the populations also appeared to be higher. The rhizopod fauna was similar in the three soils, but a number of ciliate species were confined to the soil with a high base status. The average incidence of the protozoan species was characteristic for each soil type and was slightly higher in the tussock zone than in the inter-tussock zone. The distribution of the rest of the fauna was generally similar in the three soils. Neither moisture nor food appeared to be limiting factors and the most favourable ecological conditions obtained in the soil with the lowest rainfall and the poorest plant cover.

Euplotes leticiensis, n.sp., from the Letician Drainage into the Amazon River.*

SUMMARY. In water taken March 3, 1956, from a tributary of the Amazon River, near Leticia, Colombia, an abundant ciliate fauna included large numbers of a species of Euplotes. Cursory examination showed a pronounced left wing like that of E. novemcarinatus Wang. Careful study, however, revealed a distribution of peristomal membranelles and peristomal morphology more like that of E. euryostomus Wrzesniowski. The positions of ventral cirri resemble those of E. woodruffi Gaw. The two right caudal cirri are furcated, as are those of the first two above‐mentioned species; but the five anal cirri are not. The C‐shaped macronucleus, like that of E. aediculatus Pierson, has the upper left part of the “C” somewhat depressed. A large organism, it averages 155 μ long by 130 μ broad, length ranging from 87 μ to 203 μ, and width from 67 μ to 194 μ. It is presented as Euplotes leticiensis n. sp.

In vivo observations on the ciliate protozoa inhabiting the large intestine of the horse.

SUMMARY: The ciliate population of the large intestine of the horse shows large, daily variations. The ventral colon is the site where the ciliate fauna varies most. Two species, Cycloposthium edentatum and C. dentiferum, became established in the large intestine after passage through the stomach and small intestine. The introduction of new species into the ventral colon caused significant changes in the fauna of that part of the gut.

The ecology of the ciliate fauna of Hobson's Brook, a Cambridgeshire chalk stream.

Summary: An investigation has been carried out into the association between ciliate Protozoa and bacteria in a chalk stream. The ciliates are discussed in the present paper. In general, the largest number of ciliate species and individual species were associated with a growth of green or blue-green filamentous algae. A zonation in the distribution of species along the length of the stream was observed, and particular species were found to undergo cyclical variations in the numbers of individuals. Though there was no correlation between total bacterial numbers and total numbers of ciliates present at any time, the highest bacterial numbers occurred when diatom-eating ciliates were dominant. Statistical analysis showed that the presence of Gram-negative rods in the bacterial flora was correlated with the presence of bacteria-eating ciliates. Gram-positive rods, on the other hand, were correlated with the presence of diatom-eating ciliates. The bacterial flora of the stream was in part determined from that of the surrounding soil. The periods of abundance of ciliates seemed to be related to weather conditions, since ciliates were found to increase in numbers after heavy rain or during prolonged droughts when the banks tended to crumble. Various observations suggest that the ciliate faunas of soil and brook are largely identical. The addition of a small quantity of a broth culture of a micrococcus isolated from the brook to cultures of soil ciliates in soil-extract hay-infusion medium led to a rapid multiplication of ciliates.