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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 3669

A. Valbonesi, C. Ortenzi, and P. Luporini; An Integrated Study of the Species Problem in the Euplotes crassus-minuta-vannus Group. J.Protozool. 35(1):38-45, 1988

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In an attempt to solve the ambiguity in the taxonomy of the Euplotes crassus, minuta, and vannus group, 19 strains were tested for mating interactions, electrophoresed for isozymic variations, and analyzed by multivariate morphometrics of the conventional diagnostic traits. The overall results supported the validity of the three named species. Inter-specific mating occurred only in a few crassus x vannus strain combinations and was usually inviable. Isozymic variations, in particular of amylases, malic enzyme, and malic dehydrogenase, were very restricted within conspecific strains and were great between non-conspecifics. The species ascertainment of the strains was possible on the basis of clustering and principal component analyses of morphological measures.