What Morphology and Molecules Tell Us about the Evolution of Oligotrichea (Alveolata, Ciliophora)

• Published in: Acta Protozoologica Vol. 53; no. 1; pp. 77 - 90
• Main Authors: Agatha, Sabine, Strueder-Kypke, Michaela C
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Warsaw Jagiellonian University Press 01.01.2014; Jagiellonian University-Jagiellonian University Press
• Subjects: Alveolata; Ciliophora; tintinnids; Choreotrichids; gene sequence analyses; cladistic analyses; oligotrichids; somatic ciliature
• ISSN: 0065-1583; 1689-0027
• DOI: 10.4467/16890027AP.14.008.1445

The evolution of the dominant marine plankton ciliates, the oligotrichids and choreotrichids, is analysed for morphologic and genetic convergences and apomorphies based on literature and our own data. These findings have taxonomic implications. Within the oligotrichid genus Parallelostrombidium two subgenera, Parallelostrombidium Agatha, 2004 nov. stat. and Asymptokinetum nov. subgen., are established, using the courses of the ventral and girdle kinetics as a distinguishing feature. Likewise, a different arrangement of extrusome attachment sites is used for a split of the oligotrichid genus Novistrombidium into the subgenera Novistrombidium Song and Bradbury, 1998 nov. stat. and Propecingulum nov. subgen.; Novistrombidium (Propecingulum) ioanum (Lynn and Gilron, 1993) nov. comb. and Novistrombidium (Propecingulum) platum nov. comb. are affiliated. Based on discrepancies in the somatic ciliary pattern and the presence of conspicuous argyrophilic inclusions, the aloricate choreotrichid species Pelagostrobilidium kimae nov. spec. is distinguished from P. conicum. The co-operation of taxonomists and molecular biologists is strongly recommended to prevent misinterpretations of gene trees due to incorrectly identified species and for better species circumscriptions.