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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 7318

Thomas C. Jones and Michael A. Gates; A Morphometric Analysis of the Euplotes charon Morphotype (Ciliophora: Euplotida). J.Eukaryot.Microbiol. 41(5):441-450, 1994

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Twenty-one different strains of Euplotes of the cirrotype 10, double dargyrome morphotype were collected in marine and brackish habitats from widely varying geographic locations. The strains were cultured under similar conditions prior to fixation and staining. The morphological features considered included the cell lengths and widths, the number and position of all the ventral cirri, adoral membranelles and dorsal cilia, and the position of the peristomal shelf. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed continua in these measurements among the strains, as well as significant correlations between cell length and the number of adoral membranelles, the number of dorsal cilia, and the length, width and area of the oral cavity. Based on data from this study and from previous studies, we conclude that the traditional criteria used for species descriptions within this morphotype are insufficient to provide robust distinctions. Therefore, we submerge all of the descriptions within this morphotype under the nomenclaturally superior Euplotes charon Muller, 1786.