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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 2307

Wilhelm Foissner and M. Kreutz; Redescription of Platyophrya sphagni (Penard, 1922) Foissner, 1993 (Protozoa, Ciliophora). Linzer biol.Beitr. 28/2:745-756, 1996

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Platyophrya sphagni, a medium-sized colpodid ciliate with symbiotic green algae, was found in a Sphagnum pond, i.e. a biotope very similar to that where Penard (1922) discovered the type population. The morphology and infraciliature of P. sphagni were studied in live and silver impregnated cells. The morphologic and morphometric data largely agree with those of P. chlorelligera Kawakami 1989, supporting synonymy as suggested by Foissner (1993). Platyophrya dubia Foissner 1980 is also rather similar to P. sphagni but is smaller (30 vs. 60 µm) and thus has distinctly fewer ciliary rows (13-16 vs. 19-26) and adoral organelles (4-5 vs. 5-8). Platyophrya sphagni very likely prefers, but is not restricted to Sphagnum habitats.