a new marine ciliate, Metaurostylopsis antarctica nov. spec. (Ciliophora, Urostylida) from the Antarctic Ocean

Abstract

A new marine urostylid ciliate, Metaurostylopsis antarctica n. sp. collected from the Antarctic was investigated based on morphological, morphometrical, and molecular method. Metaurostylopsis antarctica n. sp. was characterized as follows: slender to ellipsoid form in body shape;two types of cortical granules, large one (type I, yellow-green) in rows along dorsal kineties and cirri, small one (type II, colourless) scattered throughout whole body;19-24 adoral membranelles, 4 frontal cirri, 2-5 frontoterminal cirri, 1 buccal and 2 transverse cirri;3-5 midventral cirral pairs, 10-15 ventral cirri;1 right and 2 left marginal rows;3 dorsal kineties;about 43 macronuclear nodules. This new species mainly differed from the other congeners by the number of marginal rows (1 vs. 3 or more in right marginal rows;2 vs. 3 or more in left marginal rows). In addition, proter's oral primordium developed on the right side of the oral cavity (vs. on center of oral cavity), and the streak n split into two parts including frontoterminal cirri and a transverse cirrus (vs. only one part of frontoterminal cirri).ws: slender to ellipsoid form in body shape;two types of cortical granules, large one (type I, yellow-green) in rows along dorsal kineties and cirri, small one (type II, colourless) scattered throughout whole body;19-24 adoral membranelles, 4 frontal cirri, 2-5 frontoterminal cirri, 1 buccal and 2 transverse cirri;3-5 midventral cirral pairs, 10-15 ventral cirri;1 right and 2 left marginal rows;3 dorsal kineties;about 43 macronuclear nodules. This new species mainly differed from the other congeners by the number of marginal rows (1 vs. 3 or more in right marginal rows;2 vs. 3 or more in left marginal rows). In addition, proter's oral primordium developed on the right side of the oral cavity (vs. on center of oral cavity), and the streak n split into two parts including frontoterminal cirri and a transverse cirrus (vs. onl