Strombidium petzi, Song, 2005

Song, Weibo, 2005, Taxonomic description of two new marine oligotrichous ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora), Journal of Natural History 39 (3), pp. 241-252 : 250

Strombidium petzi nov. spec.

Synonym. Strombidium emergens sensu Petz, Song and Wilbert, 1995 .

Petz et al. (1995) described a large form from sea ice of the Weddell Sea, Antarctica as Strombidium emergens ( Leegaard 1915) , which was characterized by its extremely large size (in υiυo 95–110 X 60–65 mm, after protargol impregnation 90 X 49–52 mm versus 30– 40 mm in preserved material in original report) and ‘reduced’ buccal membranelles (only a few very short membranelles in shallow oral cavity) ( Figure 3N ). Considering the combination of body size, shape and pattern of infraciliature, the Antarctic organism is clearly different from all known congeners described hitherto. Hence, it is reasonable to recognize it as a new species, Strombidium petzi nov. spec.

Diagnosis. Large marine Strombidium about 95–110 X 60–65 mm in υiυo with elongate elliptical body shape and conspicuously shallow oral cavity. Girdle kinety continuous on ventral side with ca 100 dikinetids; ventral kinety extending from posterior area almost to girdle kinety, consisting of more than 20 dikinetids; fout to five buccal and 14–15 collar membranelles. Macronucleus oval in shape; one subequatorial girdle of extrusomes.

Type deposition. One slide as holotype with protargol-impregnated specimens is deposited in the collection of microscope slides of the Oberösterreichische Landesmuseum , A-4040 Linz, Austria .

Dedication. This species is dedicated to Dr Wolfgang Petz (Institute of Zoology, University of Salzburg, Austria), to express my respects to his great contributions in various fields of protozoological research.

Figures

Figure 3. Some related Strombidium species, arrows mark the anterior end of the ventral kinety. (A) Strombidium acutum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (B) S. basimorphum (from Martin and Montagnes 1993); (C) S. dalum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (D) S. crassulum (from Leegaard 1915); (E) S. epidemum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (F) S. inclinatum (from Montagnes et al. 1990); (G) S. compressum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (H) S. sulcatum (from Song et al. 2000); (I) S. taylori (from Martin and Montagnes 1993); (J) S. emergens (from Lynn et al. 1988); (K) S. rhynchum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (L) S. tressum (from Lynn et al. 1988); (M) S. υentropinnum (from Martin and Montagnes 1993); (N) S. petzi (from Petz et al. 1995); (O, P) S. crassulum (from Petz et al. 1995). Scale bars: 20 mm (A, D, G, H, J, K, M, N); 30 mm (B); 15 mm (C, E, F, I, L); 40 mm (O, P).