Zosterodasys mirabilis Alekperov, 1984

Vďačný, Peter & Tirjaková, Eva, 2012, Taxonomic revision of the ciliate genus Zosterodasys Deroux, 1978 (Protista: Ciliophora: Synhymeniida), Zootaxa 3345, pp. 34-58 : 52

Zosterodasys mirabilis Alekperov, 1984

( Figs 6 G–N)

Zosterodasys mirabilis Alekperov, 1984: 1250 , figs b, v; Fernandez-Leborans & Alekperov 1996: 14, fig. 15 (taxonomic revision); Jankowski 2007: 729.

Zosterodasys kasymovi Aliev, 1990: 21 , fig. 5 I; Fernandez-Leborans & Alekperov 1996: 10, fig. 13 (taxonomic revision); Jankowski 2007: 729.

Diagnosis. Size about 300–350 × 110–150 µm in vivo. Body shape obovate with left margin anteriorly distinctly projecting. Macronucleus ellipsoidal with a single globular micronucleus. About 65–105 ciliary rows: 30–60 ventral and 35–45 dorsal. Synhymenium incompletely encircles body. On average 16 (14–19) nematodesmal rods. Freshwater.

Type locality. Alekperov (1984) mentioned two sites: Varvarian [Varvarian] (10 km from the city of Mingeċaur) and Nahiċevan [Nakhichevan’] water reservoir, Azerbaijan. According to the Article 76.1 of the ICZN (1999), the type locality of Z. mirabilis encompasses both localities because no lectotype has been designated.

Type material. Alekperov (1984) deposited two syntype slides of Z. mirabilis (registration numbers VV No. 81 and NV No. 12) in the Institute of Zoology, NAS of Azerbaijan, Baku City. Aliev (1990) did not mention the repository, where he deposited one holotype slide of Z. kasymovi (registration number O-422).

Etymology. Not given in the original description. The Latin adjective mirabil · is, - is, - e ([m, f, n]; wonderful, marvelous) obviously refers to the beautiful appearance of the species.

Remarks. We suggest synonymy of Z. kasymovi with Z. mirabilis because diagnostic features of these two species are similar or overlap. This concerns the body shape and size (230–280 µm in fixed cells of Z. mirabilis and 230–250 µm in fixed specimens of Z. kasymovi ) as well as the nuclear apparatus (ellipsoidal macronucleus with a single micronucleus). However, they differ in two quantitative characteristics: the number of the ciliary rows (30–33 ventral and 35 dorsal in Z. mirabilis vs. 95–105, 40–45 of them dorsal in Z. kasymovi ) and of the nematodesmal rods (14–15 in Z. mirabilis vs. 17–19 in Z. kasymovi ). The contractile vacuole pattern was not investigated in Z. mirabilis and was studied only in fixed specimens of Z. kasymovi . According to the subspecies concept in ciliates (see Foissner et al. 2002), Z. kasymovi can be considered as a subspecies of Z. mirabilis if data from further populations substantiate the higher number of the ciliary rows and nematodesmal rods as reliable features of Z. kasymovi . Aliev (1990) discovered Z. kasymovi in the benthos of temporary pools of the Akery [Akieri] and Ohċuċaj [Oychuchay] Rivers, Zangelan [Zangelan] Region and of the Ohċularċaj [Okhchularchay] River, Šamhor [Shamkhor] Region, Azerbaijan at 18–25 °C, pH 7.5 and 8.9 mg /l O2.

Figures

FIGURE 6. Var i ou s Zosterodasys species and their supposed synonyms after protargol impregnation. (A – D) Zosterodasys raikovi, total ventral view of ciliary pattern (A), dorsal view of ciliary pattern in anterior body region (B), and nuclear (C) as well as oral (D) apparatus. From Aliev (1990). (E, F) Zosterodasys derouxi, total view of ventral (E) and dorsal (F) ciliary pattern as well as of the nuclear and contractile vacuole apparatus. From Aliev (1990). (G) Zosterodasys mirabilis, total view of ventral ciliary pattern. From Alekperov (1984). (H – J) Zosterodasys kasymovi, frontal view of oral apparatus (I) and dorsal (H) as well as ventral (J) view of ciliary pattern and nuclear apparatus. From Aliev (1990). (K – N) Zosterodasys mirabilis, total ventral view of ciliary pattern (K), dorsal view of ciliary pattern in anterior body region (N), and nuclear (L) as well as oral (M) apparatus. From Fernandez-Leborans & Alekperov (1996).