Biodiversity Of The Marine Ciliates: Gymnostomata, Hypostomata, Suctoria, Spirotrichea

Ciliated protozoa is the most complex and highly differentiated among unicellularorganisms,of which some groups are closely related to occurrence of red-tide,bait-animalculture in aquaculture,disease of animal,water quality purification in polysaprobicenvironment,material cycle and energy flow in"micro-food-loop".From 2006 to 2009,faunistic and taxonomic studies on free living ciliates mainly fromcoastal waters off Qingdao and Guangzhou (including sand,mollusks-culturing and-breedingwaters,tidal zone,mouth of the Pearl River,mangroves near Shenzhen) have been carried out.The morphology and infraciliature of 46 species representing 9 orders (Prostomatida,Haptorida,Synhymeniida,Nassulida,Cyrophorida,Suctorida,Heterotrichida,Licophorida,Hypotrichida),23 families and 33 genera were investigated using living observation and silverimpregnation methods.Main achievements are summarized as follows:Two new genera were established,Apocoleps nov.gen.and Paramucophrya nov.gen..Diagnosis of Apocoleps nov.gen.:Colepidae with spiny armour composed of eight tiers;plate with reniform uni-windows,ridge near left plate margin serrated and wing-like,teeth ofright plate margin arranged alternately with windows;three adoral organelles.Diagnosis of Paramucophrya nov gen.:body hemispherical,composed of inner and outerplasma,the outer of which is a transparent mucous coat;without stalk or lorica,attached tosubstrate;tentacles sparsely scattered.The complicated genus Condylostentor Jankowski,1978 which has never been studiedusing modern methods since it is originally established,is reactivated and restudied basedon investigation on the type species of this genus.Improved diagnosis of Condylostentor:Slightly contractile,free-swimming Stentoridae;vestibular cavity deep and prominent,apical border with conspicuous ventral groove;ciliaturein Stentor-like pattern,i.e.ventral suture and contrast zone of somatic kineties present;adoralzone almost closed,interrupted on ventral side by a deep cleft;vestibulum kineties andparoral membrane present.Eleven new species were established based on living morphology and infraciliature:Nolandia orientalis Chen et al.,2009;Nolandia sinica Chen et al.,2009;Apocoleps magnusChen et al.,2009;Apocoleps paramagnus Chen et al.,2009;Metacystis parastriata nov.spec.;Nassula rubra nov.spec.;Cyrtophoron tropic nov.spec.;Aegyriana rostellum nov.spec.; Dysteria pseudopectinata nov.spec.;Paramucophrya semisphaerica Chen et al.,2005;Parabirojimia multinucleata Chen et al.,2009.Four new combinations were suggested and their infraciliature was reveal for thefirst time which has never been studied using modern staining methods:Pinacocolepssimilis (Kahl,1933) Chen et al.,2009;Zosterodasys oblonga (Maupas,1883) nov.comb.;Zosterodasys vorax (Stokes,1887) nov.comb.;Zosterodasys elongata (Kahl,1931) nov.comb.Infraciliature of 8 species was revealed for the first time and their neotypes havebeen deposited.These included:Tiarinafusus (Clapar(?)de & Lachmann,1857) Bergh,1881;Lagynus elegans (Engelmann,1862) Quennerstedt,1867;Lynchella nordica Jankowski,1968;Chlamydonys paucidentatus Deroux,1976;Hypocoma parasitica Gruber,1884;Condylostentor auriculatus (Kahl,1932) Jankowski,1978;Climacostomum virens (Ehrenberg,1933) Kahl,1932;Anteholosticha scutellum (Cohn,1866) Berger,2003.Fifteen species of suctorid ciliates were recorded and described for the first time inChina:Ephelota gemmipara (Hertwig,1876) Bütschli,1889;E.mammillata Dons,1915;E.crustaceorum Hailer,1880;E.truncata Fraipont,1878;Acineta tuberosa Ehrenberg,1833;A.compressa Clapar(?)de & Lachmann,1859;A.foetida Maupas,1881;Paracineta limbata(Maupas,1881) Collin,1912;P.patula (Clapar(?)de & Lachmann,1861) Collin,1911;Conchacineta complatana (Gruber,1884) Curds,1985;Actinocyathula crenata (Fraipont,1878) Curds,1987;Loricophrya parva (Schulz,1932) Matthes,1956;L.tuba (Zelinka,1914)Curds,1987;Paramucophrya semisphaerica Chen et al.,2005;Flectacineta livadiana(Mereschkowsky,1881)Jankowski,1978.Nine species were redescribed based on characteristics of living feature andinfraciliature from the Qingdao and Guangzhou populations:Placus salinus Dietz,1964;Licnophora lyngbycola Faur(?)-Fremiet,1937;Folliculina simplex (Dons,1917) Song et al.,2003;Folliculinopsisproducta (Wright,1859) Faur(?)-Fremiet,1936;Peritromusfaurei Kahl,1932;Fabrea salina Henneguy,1890;Condylostoma minutum Bullington,1940;Condylostoma spatiosum Ozaki & Yagiu in Yagiu,1944;Condylostoma curva Burkovsky,1970.