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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Paracercomonas

Infraphylum Monadofilosa: Class Sarcomonadea Cavalier-Smith, 1993: Order Cercomonadida Poche, 1913 emend. Grasse, 1952 and Karpov et al., 2006: Family Cercomonadidae Saville Kent, 1880 sensu Karpov et al., 2006 (ref. ID; 7130)
  1. Paracercomonas anaerobica (ref. ID; 7130)
  2. Paracercomonas baikali Howe et al., 2011 (ref. ID; 7130 original paper)

Paracercomonas baikali Howe et al., 2011 (ref. ID; 7130 original paper)

Diagnosis

18S rDNA sequence, GenBank HQ121440; ITS2 rDNA GenBank HQ176333; cell size: 10.5 um (8.5-12 um). AF ~1X BL; PF 1.5-2X BL, acronematic. Cell metabolic, pliable. Wider at anterior than posterior while travelling, somewhat teardrop-shaped. Cell movement can be quite rapid; moderately frequent changes of direction. AF constantly flickers rapidly along entire length. Unlike all other paraceromonads cells occasionally vibrate and flicker both AF and PF while static. Pseudopodia project from anywhere. Frequently extend and retract cytoplasmic tail to >1BL; cysts slightly angular, thick-walled. N anterior; cvs in various positions, including anterior to n. (ref. ID; 7130)

Comments

Paracercomonas baikali is the first described aerobic representative of a very divergent lineage within Paracercomonas, Group B2, branching just above the previously most divergent described species, P. anaerobica (Bass et al., 2009). As the P. baikali lineage is rarely isolated it is interesting that another of the same 18S-type was isolated from a different site in the same sampling area near Lake Baikal, suggesting a local bloom of this paracercomonad. (ref. ID; 7130)

Etymology

baikali from Baikal, the type locality. (ref. ID; 7130)

Type strain

B148 (2007; G8, grassland at edge of Listvyanka village, 0.5 km from Lake Baikal shore, Russia; AH. Strain no longer alive.) Also isolated: B113 (2007; Sample 4, grassland nr Lake Baikal, Russia; AH). (ref. ID; 7130)