Pseudogemma pachystyla Collin, 1912

Mariño-Pérez, Ricardo, Dovgal, Igor & Mayén-Estrada, Rosaura, 2011, New records of suctorians (Ciliophora: Suctoria) as epibionts of aquatic true bugs (Hemiptera: Prosorrhyncha: Nepomorpha) from two regions: Mexico and Eastern Europe, Zootaxa 2798, pp. 48-60 : 55

Pseudogemma pachystyla Collin, 1912

Fig 1 b.

Ectoparasitic species with sacciform loricate body. There is single, short, thick, rod-like tentacle by which the parasite attaches to the apical part of the host (suctorian ciliates) body. The tentacle as a rule completely dipped into host cell body. Reproduction by endogenous budding.

Dimensions: body length 18–24; body width 16–20. Previous measurements: body length 20–30; body width 12–25.

Material examined. Found as ectoparasite of Periacineta buckei , epibiont of: Ranatra sp. 1. Mexico. Tecocomulco lake. State of Hidalgo. 2530 m.a.s.l. (19° 52’ 30.5” N; 98° 23’ 41.2” W). 15.09.2007.

Additional records. Brackish water from Béziers and the channel of the port of Cette; ectoparasite of Acineta tuberosa ( Matthes et al. 1988) .

Figures

FIGURE 1. Some epibiotic suctorians of nepomorphans. a. Manuelophrya hannae parasite of peritrich epibiont of Lethocerus sp. (Mexico). b. Pseudogemma pachystyla parasite of Periacineta buckei attached to Ranatra sp. (Mexico). c. Discophrya elongata on Ranatra sp. (Mexico). d. Discophrya gessneri epibiont of Aphelocheirus aestivalis (Ukraine); the insert shows the shape of the stalk. e. Discophrya lichteinsteinii found on Ambrysus sp. (Mexico). f. Empty loricaes of Periacineta notonectae from Corixa sp. (Ukraine). g-i. Periacineta buckei from Ranatra sp., Belostoma sp. and Lethocerus sp., respectively (Mexico).