Cercomonas granulatus, Larsen and Patterson, 1990

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 : 554

Phyllomitus granulatus Larsen and Patterson, 1990

(fi gures 24o, 26h -m)

Description. Cell outline sac-shaped, very fl exible (almost amoeboid), 7-21 Mm long (mostly 10-12 Mm) and 4-10 Mm wide, slightly fl attened. Refractile granules underlie the cell surface. Two fl agella emerge from an anterior pocket. The anterior fl agellum beats with a sine-wave, is about 1.0-1.5 times the length of the cell and is slightly curved to the right during swimming. The posterior fl agellum inserts to the left of the anterior fl agellum, varies in length from 0.5 to 2.5 times the length of the cell. Cytoplasm is drawn out at the posterior end. The nucleus is located below the anterior pocket, near the centre of the cell and is roundish. Cells seem to migrate to air-droplets and some contained ingested eukaryotic algae. Sometimes very common (late culture).

Remarks. Larsen and Patterson (1990) fi rst described this species from tropical Australia, Brazil and Hawaii, and it was reported by Vørs (1992b) from Denmark. Previously recorded cell length ranges from 8 to 18 Mm ( Larsen and Patterson, 1990; Vørs, 1992b). Generally, our observations are in accord with those of Larsen and Patterson (1990). Phyllomitus granulatus can be distinguished from all species of the genus Phyllomitus by its granules. The organism is phagotrophic and may consume relatively large particles such as detritus and diatoms much larger than the fl agellate (see Larsen and Patterson, 1990). It is similar to Protaspis in the position of the nucleus, but can be distinguished by its fl exible body, movement and fl agellar beat pattern.

Unidenti®ed ¯agellates

We have observed further species of Kiitoksia, Notosolenus , Paraphysomonas , Petalomonas , Platychilomonas , Ploeotia , Protaspis, Rhynchobodo , Thaumatomastix and Urceolus , but most were insu ffi ciently documented to allow their identities to be established unambiguously.