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Observations of Apparent Lorica Variability in Salpingacantha (Ciliophora: Tintinnida) in the Northern Pacific and Arctic Oceans

100%

Dolan J. R., Yang E. J.

Acta Protozoologica

2017

vol. 56

issue 3

217-220

Species identifications of tintinnid ciliates are based on characteristics of the lorica housing the ciliate cell. Molecular characterization of tintinnid ciliates has revealed the occurrence of cryptic species, genetically distinct forms with similar loricas, as well as polymorphic species in which genetically identical forms have distinct loricas. Among this latter category may be forms currently recognized as species of the genus Salpingacantha, erected by Kofoid and Campbell for forms originally described as varieties of species of Salpingella with ‘teeth’ on the margin of the lorica oral opening. Some workers have expressed the opinion that the genus is artificial and notably a recent molecular study suggested that Salpingella and Salpingacantha are likely synonyms. In this short communication we report on finding morphologically distinct loricas (containing ciliate cells) of Salpingacantha in single samples from stations in the North Pacific and Arctic Oceans in 2010, 2015 and 2016. We found up to 5 distinct Salpingacantha forms co-occurring, often with abundant Salpingella acuminata populations suggesting that some Salpingacantha species may be varieties of Salpingella acuminata. While we lack genetic data needed for definitive proof of polymorphism, here we document remarkable gradual gradients in morphology suggestive of polymorphism.

On Papulifères, putative ciliate cysts of diverse morphologies, with new observations from the plankton of the Chukchi Sea (Arctic Ocean)

75%

Dolan J. R., Yang E. J., Moon J.-K.

Acta Protozoologica

2023

vol. 62

1-14

In the early 20th century, Alphonse Meunier described "Papulifères" as a group of enigmatic forms of unknown taxonomic affinity characterized by possessing a hyaline pimple, a "papula". In the early 1980's Papulifères were equated with cysts of tintinnid ciliates. The most conspicuous forms, the large Fusopsis, have been widely found, and are now known to resemble the cyst of a certain species of oligotrich ciliate (i.e., Cyrtostrombidium boreale). Thus today, Papulifère forms are often assumed to be cysts of oligotrich ciliates. Here we report on 26 Papulifère forms, of more or less distinct morphologies, found in the plankton of the Chukchi Sea. We found forms resembling some of those described by Meunier, and recorded here for the first time since Meunier's reports, and others that do not resemble any of Meunier's Papulifères. Here, we first review the literature on Papulifères, then we present the surprising variety of forms we found in Chukchi Sea, and for some, we provide for the first time data on morphological variability. With this report we have expanded the catalogue of observed Papulifère forms and documented variability in the dimensions of some morphotypes. However, we urge caution in assigning a ciliate species name to any given Papulifère form in the absence of corroborating data. There is a need for observational and/or sequence-based data to elucidate the identity of Papulifère forms.

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2 Acta Protozoologica

1 2023

1 2017

2 Dolan J. R.

2 Yang E. J.

1 Moon J.-K.

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Observations of Apparent Lorica Variability in Salpingacantha (Ciliophora: Tintinnida) in the Northern Pacific and Arctic Oceans

On Papulifères, putative ciliate cysts of diverse morphologies, with new observations from the plankton of the Chukchi Sea (Arctic Ocean)