Stichotricha aculeata Wrzesniowskiego, 1866

Jung, Atef Omar and Jae-Ho, 2021, New record of 21 ciliate species (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from South Korea, Journal of Species Research 10 (3), pp. 301-320 : 305-306

6. Stichotricha aculeata Wrzesniowskiego, 1866 ( Fig. 6 )

Material examined. Freshwater sample collected from a temporary puddle, after rainfall, on a footpath behind specimens was deposited at the Nakdonggang National Institute of Biological Resources (NNIBRPR20113).

Family Oxytrichidae Ehrenberg, 1830

Genus Oxytricha Bory de St. Vincent in Lamouroux , Bory de St. Vincent and Deslongchamps , 1824 Gangneung-Wonju National University, Gangneung, Korea (37°46 ʹ 30 ʺ N, 128°51 ʹ 46.8 ʺ E) on 25 June 2020 .

Diagnosis. Body size in vivo about 115 × 20 μm (n = 5); body slender elongate, anterior portion narrow and curved, body flexible and slightly contractile; inhabiting detritus-covered lorica; 2 macronuclear nodules and 2 micronuclei; adoral zone of membranelles covered up to 50% of body length and composed of about 30 membranelles, elongated cilia on distalmost 3 membranelles; 4 spiral cirral rows; about 3 frontal, 1 buccal cirrus; 2 dorsal kineties.

Distribution. Antarctica, Austria, Central America, Germany, Hungary, USA, and Korea.

Remarks. The Korean population of Stichotricha aculeata agrees with previous descriptions in most features, especially the body size, the somatic ciliature, and habitats. The tubicolous genus Stichotricha contains only two species, S. aculeata and S. secunda Kahl, 1932 , which can be separated from each other by the absence vs. presence of symbiotic algae ( Kahl, 1932; Gelei, 1954; Foissner, 1980; Foissner et al., 1991; Bourland, 2015).

Voucher slides. One slide with protargol-impregnated

Figures

Fig. 6. Photomicrographs of Stichotricha aculeata from life (A) and after protargol impregnation (B, C). A. Ventral view showing body outline and the narrow, curved anterior portion containing the adoral zone of membranelles. B, C. Ventral (B) and dorsal (C) view showing the body shape and the somatic ciliature. Scale bars=30μm.