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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7056

James H. Sniezek, Gerard M. Capriulo, Eugene B. Small, and Anthony Russo; Nolaclusilis hudsonicus N. Sp. (Nolaclusiliidae N. Fam.) a Bilaterally Symmetrical Tintinnine Ciliate from the Lower Hudson River Estuary. J.Protozool. 38(6):589-594, 1991

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We have discovered a previously unrecognized tintinnine ciliate, Nolaclusilis hudsonicus n. sp., from the Hudson River estuary. The tintinnine possesses a thin hyaline lorica with an oral diameter of 40.23+/-3.37 µm. Analyses of Protargol stained specimens revealed the presence of 12 oral polykinetids and 22 somatic kinetal fragments with few kineties on the dorsal surface. Two extensions of the peristomial rim endow the tintinnine with bilateral symmetry. A series of extrusomes positioned below the oral polykinetids and anterior to the somatic ciliature completely encircle the organism. Microscopic observations of live organism sreveal that this tintinnine can partially collapse its lorica. A mechanistic explanation for lorica collapse is given. The family Nolaclusiliidae is proposed to incorporate the genus Nolaclusilis and its two species.