Clevelandella ananiasi sp.nov.

(Figs 3–5; Supporting Information, Table S4)

Description based on population from ASS hosts from Papua Neo Guinea: Small Clevelandella, size invivo 69–87 × 35–52 µm, usually about 77 × 41 µm; size in protargol preparations 44–67 × 25–34 µm, usually about 55 × 29 µm. Body proper dorsoventrally flattened; overall outline in ventral view asymmetrically spade-shaped, with prominent left lobe, anterior cell end bluntly pointed; peristomial projection joins body proper to right of midline. Left cell margin notched at base of peristomial projection forming a lobe that overhangs the peristomial projection for about one-fifth of its length. Macronucleus ellipsoidal (Figs 3A, 4A) to inverted teardrop-shape (Figs 3B, 4B–E, G), anterior end rounded, posterior end acutely tapered, chromatin coarsely granular. Karyophore attached to posterior margin of macronucleus (Figs 3A, 4A, B). Micronucleus ellipsoidal (4.4 × 3.4 µm), adjacent to anterior margin of macronucleus (Figs 3B, 4G). Swims slowly.

Somatic ciliature consists of about 60 kineties, only anterior two-thirds of body properly ciliated (Fig. 5A, B). Right sutural kinetofragments not confirmed, cannot be completely excluded due to suboptimal orientation of cells in protargol preparations.

Peristomial projection extends an average of 28% of total cell length. Lateral part of peristomial opening extends about three-quarters of length (Figs 4A, F, 5A) of peristomial projection. Adoral zone usually extends about 52% of cell length, composed of an average of 23 membranelles. Fine structures of POM unrecognizable due to poor staining but visibly stichomonad at the posterior (Fig. 5B–D).

Occurrence: Clevelandella ananiasi sp. nov. was found in the hindgut of two Panesthiinae species from Papua New Guinea: ASS and STH from the same locality (Wanang 3). It occurred in 56% of ASS individuals regardless of age and sex. In STH the ciliate was present only in one juvenile host individual among 10 dissected insects. When present, the ciliate is typically abundant. In ASS, infection with C. ananiasi sp. nov. frequently co-occurs (60%) with C. sidi sp. nov. requiring special care in species identification.