Paraspathidium apofuscum Long, Song,, 2009

Kim, Ji Hye, Omar, Atef & Jung, Ji Hye Moon and Jae-Ho, 2020, Taxonomy of 16 indigenous ciliate species (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from South Korea, Journal of Species Research 9 (4), pp. 427-442 : 437

13. Paraspathidium apofuscum Long, Song,

Al-Rasheid & Gong, 2009 ( Fig. 13 )

Material examined. Brackish water with seaweed (salinity, 20‰) collected from Gunsuncheon Stream , Gangdong-myeon , Gangneung-si, Gangwon-do, Korea (37° 44′27″N 128°59′2″E) on 1 May 2019 .

Diagnosis. Body size about 150 × 45 μm in vivo, 161- 207 × 40-52 μm after protargol impregnation (n = 6); body contractile, elongated elliptical with slightly bulged oral part; posteriorly located contractile vacuole with 2 distinct collecting canals; cytoplasmic extrusomes scattered throughout body, 6-8 μm in length; cortex punctate by deep ciliary pits; 2 macronuclear nodules; 34-47 monokinetidal somatic kineties with few dikinetids anteriorly; single circumoral kinety; perioral kinety opened and disturbed 3 brush rows.

Distribution. China and Korea.

Remarks. The Korean P. apofuscum population differs from the Chinese population in the presence (vs. absence) of the contractile vacuole’s canals ( Long et al., 2009). Paraspathidium apofuscum is different from P. fuscum (Kahl, 1928) Fjeld, 1955 in the number of somatic kineties (34-47 vs. 50-60), the presence (vs. absence) of the dorsal brush, and the opened (vs. closed) perioral kinety ( Long et al., 2009).

Voucher slides. Two slides with protargol-impregnated specimens were deposited at National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBRPR0000110199, NIBRPR0000110 200).

Figures

Fig. 13. Photomicrograph of Paraspathidium apofuscum in vivo (A) and after protargol impregnation (B, C). A. Contracted body showing the cytoplasmic inclusions and the deep ciliary pits on the cortex. B. Somatic kineties and two macronuclear nodules. C. Detail of oral ciliature showing the dikinetidal part in ciliary rows (arrow). CP, ciliary pits. Scale bars=100 μm (A), 50μm (B).