Main Content

The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ref ID : 922

Wilhelm Foissner; [Morphologie und taxonomie einiger heterotricher und peritricher ciliaten (Protozoa: Ciliophora) aus Alpinen Boden]. Protistologica XVII:29-43, 1981

Reprint

In File

Notes

Morphology, infraciliature, silverline system, and ecology of some new and little known heterotrichous and peritrichous ciliates occurring in alpine soils were investigated. Microdiaphanosoma arcuata is transfered to the family Kreyellidae, whose genesis is similar to Cyrtolophosis. The infraciliature of Metopus hasei is similar to that known from other species of this genus. This species could be an indicator for nitrogen enriched soils. The freely moving peritrichous ciliate Telotrochidium cylindricum develops a short stalk during encystation. Pyxidium arboricolum is transfered to the genus Opercularia, because it develops dichotomus branched colonies in cultures. Haplocaulus terrenus nov. spec. differs from other species of the genus by its stalk-like formation of the distal part of the body and by the very rough transverse striation of the pellicle. Vorticella astyliformis nov. spec. develops only rarely a stalk. Its swarmer has an epistome membrane like the swarmer of Vorticella similis. The biometrical values of the argyrophic structures of the investigated peritrichous ciliates are listed in table I. These data yield important criterions for species identification as shown by means of some examples.