Ref ID : 2574
Mario F. Canella; [Contributo ad una Revisione dei Generi Amphileptus, Hemiophrys e Lionotus (Ciliata, Holotricha, Gymnostomata)]. Annali Dell'Universita di Ferrara,Sezione III II(2):47-95, 1960
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This paper is a contribution to the revision of genera Amphileptus, Hemiophrys and Lionotus, belonging to family Amphileptidae (Ciliata, Holotricha) and comprehending some very interesting predacious species. The A. refers to his researches (still unpublished in extenso) on Carchesium polypinum and its predators (Ciliates, Suctoria, Rotifera), by which he ascertained that, not only Amphileptus carchesii Stein, but also A. claparedi Stein presents the distinguishing characters of the Hemiophrys, a subgenus of Lionotus (created by Wrzesniowski) that Kahl rightly promoted to genus rank. The Hemiophrys are really, morphologically and ethologically, different from the Lionotus s. str.: that has been demonstrated also by Author's proper observations. The two Amphileptus in question - with other Hemiophrys species, particularly H. avellens Canella - are a very suggestive instance, among predaceous Ciliates, of adaptation and specialization, since they capture and feed only on Peritricha zooids. Their history of uncertainties, misunderstandings, insufficient descriptions, mistaken drawings, erroneous diagnoses, is a very curious one; here it is widely summarized, from Claparede and Stein to more recent handbooks of protozoology. Concerning Amphileptus trachelioides (Zacharias), the A. thinks that it is a species extraneous to Amphileptidae, and therefore transferable again to Tracheliidae, but with a new generic name, the first one (Dileptus) being not appropriate. The A. treats also of some other presumed Amphileptus (branchiarum, multinucleatus, voracus, gutta, incurvatus, etc.), and of some genera (Acineria, Centrophorella) ascribed to Amphileptidae but whose position is uncertain. Finally, the A. suggests to suppress the genus Amphileptus and to transfer A. claparedei and A. carchesii to genus Hemiophrys, if one does not prefer to place all Hemiophrys species in the Ehrenberg's old genus.