Metacineta longipes (Mereschkowsky, 1877)

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 : 50-51

Metacineta longipes (Mereschkowsky, 1877)

Fig. 3 e.

The cell is spherical or somewhat elongate, covered by stylotheca with very long stalk-like protuberance. Macronucleus is ovoid, centrally located. Cell body clamped to the stylotheca near the apical aperture. The apical aperture of stylotheca has 6 or 7 edges. Tentacles are long, clavate and arranged in 6 or 7 radial rows placed between edges of stylotheca ( Rieder, 1985). Reproduction by semi-circumvaginative budding with generation of tomit in the partial invagination of trophont cortex.

Dimensions: body diameter 25–37; diameter of macronucleus 10–15; length of tentacles 30–50; stylotheca length 175–185; stylotheca width 40–50; stalk-like protuberance length 130–200. Previous measurements: body diameter 246; length (with stalk) 2,040.

Material examined. Found as epibiont of: Nepa cinerea . Belarus. River Ubort’ near village Borovoe, 13.08.1983.

Additional records. On Lemna Linnaeus , Ceratophyllum Linnaeus ( Matthes et al. 1988) .

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.