Investigation of Korean Ciliates Based on Morphological Approach

Abstract

Eleven species of ciliates (Phylum Ciliophora, Doflein 1901) have been investigated from the various aquatic basin, e.g., marine, estuarine, and freshwater, and from the soil, debris, plant leaves as well as mosses on the trees and rocks comprising 11 habitats from nine localities in Korea during the time being January 2018 to June 2019. After collection, samples were processed in the laboratory, and examined cytomorphology of live and impregnated specimens and analyzed them morphometrically. In consequence, 11 species (ten genera, ten families, eight orders, seven classes, and two subphyla) were identified and described. Among them, one new subspecies: Uronychia xinjiangensis subspec. n., four new species: Chlamydodon sp. n., Euplotes sp. n., Gastronauta sp. n., Loxodes sp. n. were introduced to the taxonomic studies of ciliates. Improved description of Chaenea vorax Quennerstedt, 1867, which was previously poorly described in Korea, was reported, and the rest of the species: Zosterodasys agamalievi Deroux, 1978, Dexiotricha granulosa (Kent, 1881) Foissner et al., 1994, Colpidium colpoda (Losana, 1829) Stein, 1860, Euplotes gracilis Kahl, 1932, Stentor coeruleus (Pallas, 1776) Ehrenberg, 1831 were newly reported to the descriptive study in Korea.