Metanophrys sinensis Song & Wilbert, 2000

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 : 439-440

15. Metanophrys sinensis Song & Wilbert, 2000

( Fig. 15 )

Material examined. Marine water collected from a beach in Jukgyodong, Mokpo-si, Jeollanam-do, Korea (34°47′ 18.5″N 126°21′57.8″E) on 14 Sep 2019 .

Diagnosis. Body size about 20 × 8.5 μm after protargol impregnation (n = 10); elongate ellipsoidal body shape with pointed apex; cytostome extends in anterior 2/5 of body length; single spherical macronucleus; 11 or 12 somatic kineties; paroral membrane commences at level of middle part of membranelle 2; membranelles 1 consists of 2 longitudinal rows of basal bodies with 6 basal bodies each; membranelle 2 consists of 2 rows of basal bodies; membranelle 3 inconspicuous, usually close to membranelle 2 with small gap; single caudal cilium.

Distribution. China and Korea.

Remarks. The Korean M. sinensis population differs from the type population in the number of transverse basal bodies in membranelle 1 (6 vs. 7-11) ( Song and Wilbert, 2000). Metanophrys sinensis differs from the most similar species, M. similis Song et al., 2002 , in the number of rows in membranelle 1 (2 vs. 3) ( Song et al., 2002). Voucher slides. Two slides with protargol-impregnated specimens were deposited at National Institute of Biological Resources (NIBRPR0000110223, NIBRPR0000110 224).

Ministry of Environment (ME) of the Republic of Korea (NIBR201902204).

Figures

Fig. 15. Photomicrograph of Metanophrys sinensis after protargol impregnation. A, B. Somatic and oral ciliatures. C. Macronucleus and caudal cilium. CC, caudal cilium; M1-3, oral membranelles; MA, macronucleus; PM, paroral membrane. Scale bars=20 μm.