Morphogenesis and morphological redescription of a poorly known Ciliate Apokeronopsis ovalis (Kahl, 1932) nov. comb. (Ciliophora: Urostylida).

Abstract

Three marine interstitial scuticociliates, including two new species (Schizocalyptra similis sp. n., S. sinica sp. n.) and one insufficiently described form (Hippocomos salinus Small and Lynn, 1985) collected from sandy beaches in China, were morphologicallyinvestigated. The small subunit rRNA gene of the two new Schizocalyptra species was sequenced in order to compare with that of the onlyother sequenced congener, S. aeschtae. Both forms investigated in the present paper are demonstrated to be distinctive members of thisrelatively poorly known genus. Hippocomos salinus was observed in vivo for the first time. A redescription and improved diagnosis are heresupplied based on the China-population.