Cothurnia peloscolicis, PRECHT, 1935

COTHURNIA PELOSCOLICIS PRECHT, 1935 View in CoL

FIGS 5–6

Material examined

Material examined by light microscopy (measurements based on six C. peloscolicis specimens) and SEM microscopy from one specimen of polychaete Sthenelais boa , north Adriatic Sea, station SJ007, 5 March 2004.

Description

Lorica extended near the base and slightly converged toward aperture, smooth, not compressed, 61–86 μm (81 μm after Warren & Paynter, 1991) × 26–32 μm (27–41 μm after Warren & Paynter, 1991) ( Figs 5B, 6C). Aperture circular when viewed from above, 23–32 μm in diameter (15 × 33 μm after Warren & Paynter, 1991), the edge of aperture without any outgrow ( Fig. 6B). External stalk short, cylindrical, without folds, 10–16 μm long (20 μm after Warren & Paynter, 1991); mesostyle and endostyle absent ( Fig. 5B). Stalk with longitudinal striae in some cases. Generally, two zooids present ( Fig. 5B). Zooid 80 × 18–22 μm, extending just beyond aperture. The length of contracted zooid 26–55 μm, width 11–18 μm. Peristomial lip 27 μm in diameter. Contractile vacuole small and situated in the peristomal region. Macronucleus straight, 50 μm long. Pellicular striations inconspicuous.

Remarks

This is the first finding of the species after its original description by Precht (1935).

Habitat

Marine, originally found as epibiont of the oligochaete Tubificoides benedii (d’Udekem, 1855) [reported as Peloscolex benedeni (d’Udekem, 1855) ; type host] from the Bay of Kiel, Germany (Baltic Sea) (type locality) ( Precht, 1935). Other locality: north Adriatic Sea on the chaetae of polychaete Sthenelais boa (this paper).

A REVIEW OF THE PERITRICH CILIATE EPIBIONTS ON POLYCHAETES

SUBCLASS PERITRICHIA STEIN, 1859