Tokophrya quadripartita ( Claparède et Lachmann, 1859 ), Claparede et Lachmann, 1859

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 : 54

Tokophrya quadripartita ( Claparède et Lachmann, 1859)

Fig. 3 b.

Species medium to large, freshwater whose body shape is pyramidal and approximately square in cross section. There are 4 lobe-like prominent actinophores, one at each corner of the apical surface, each bearing a fascicle of capitates tentacles. Lorica absent. Stalk of variable length present. Number of contractile vacuoles varies from 1 to 3. Macronucleus spherical to ovoid, centrally placed. There is one contractile vacuole. Endogenous budding results in an ovoid larval form with variable numbers of ciliary rows and formations ( Curds, 1985b).

Dimensions: body length 50–138; body width 20–70; macronucleus 7–16 x 28–58; length of tentacles 20–50; length of stalk 80–220; stalk diameter 4–7. Previous measurements: body length 60–175, body width 18–75, length of tentacles until 90.

Material examined. Found as epibiont of: Lethocerus sp. Mexico. Near Grutas de la Estrella, Ixtapan de la Sal. State of Mexico. 1550 m.a.s.l. (18° 43’ 30.7” N; 99° 35’ 59.1 W). 18.09.2005.

Additional records. On aquatic plants, copepods, over stalk of Epistylis plicatilis Ehrenberg , on Asellus Geoffroy , Triturus sp. Rafinesque ( Matthes et al. 1988); on Paludina Lamarck , Cyclops Müller , Chrysemys picta belli (Gray) ( Curds, 1985b) ; on Cambarellus patzcuarensis Villalobos ( Aladro-Lubel et al. 2006; Fernandez-Leborans, 2009). On Cyclops , Limnocalanus macrurus Sars , Epischura lacustris Forbes , Eucyclops agilis (Koch & Sars) , Cyclops bicuspidatus Claus , Astacus leptodactylus Eschscholtz ( Fernandez-Leborans & Tato-Porto, 2000) . On Limnocalanus macrurus , Epischura lacustris and Asellus intermedius Forbes ( Morado & Small, 1995) .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Some epibiotic suctorians of nepomorphans. a. Discophrya ochtebii. b. Tokophrya quadripartita from Lethocerus sp. (Mexico). c. Podophrya fixa. d. Kormosia linguifera. e. Metacineta longipes.