Bodo platyrhynchu

Lee, Won Je & Patterson, David J., 2000, Heterotrophic flagellates (Protista) from marine sediments of Botany Bay, Australia, Journal of Natural History 34, pp. 483-562 : 491

Bodo platyrhynchu s Larsen and Patterson, 1990

(fi gures 1i, 2n, o)

Description. Cell 5-7 Mm long and 2-3 Mm wide, dorso-ventrall y fl attened, slightly fl exible. The anterior margin of the cell is fl attened. Cell outline is ovoid and two fl agella insert subapically. The anterior fl agellum is shorter than the cell and beats sti ffl y from side to side. The trailing posterior fl agellum is about twice the length of the cell and is acronematic. Cells glide slowly with a waggling movement, but may more rarely swim with a slow rotating movement. Rarely observed.

Remarks. This species was described from marine sites in Brazil and Hawaii by Larsen and Patterson (1990) with a length of 3.5-7.5 Mm. Generally, our observation s are in good agreement with the original description of Larsen and Patterson (1990), but they did not mention the rotating swimming movements. Two other species of the genus Bodo ( B. cygnus and B. designis ) have been reported as having a rotating swimming movement. We here add a third species with this movement, but note that this is not the normal mode of motion. Bodo platyrhynchu s is distinguished from B. cygnus and B. designis by its fl attened body and the waggling behaviour. Kinetoplastid status is unproven. This species resembles a few species of the genus Cercomonas because of the almost apical fl agellar insertion and the gliding motion in close contact with the substratum. We have distinguished it because species of Cercomonas are more fl exible and strands of cytoplasm may be drawn out from the posterior end of the cell.