Protaspa verrucosa ( Larsen et Patterson, 1990 ) Cavalier-Smith, 2011

Lee, Won Je, 2019, Small Free-Living Heterotrophic Flagellates from Marine Intertidal Sediments of the Sydney Region, Australia, Acta Protozoologica 58 (4), pp. 167-189 : 181-182

Protaspa verrucosa ( Larsen et Patterson, 1990) Cavalier-Smith, 2011

Fig. 5a

Description: Cell outline is oval to roundish. Cells are 15–22 µm long and dorso-ventrally flattened. Cell surface is warty. The cells have a prominent ventral groove or slit, which extends from the subapical end almost to the posterior end of the cell. Two flagella emerge from the widely opened anterior depression. The anterior flagellum is about the cell length and beats from side to side. The posterior flagellum is about 1.3 times the cell length and trails. The nucleus is situated anteriorly below the flagellar insertion with anterior caps, which are not distinctive. Several materials are seen in the posterior part of the cell. The cells glide slowly. Rarely observed.

Remarks: Generally the description here is accordance with the original description of Larsen and Patterson (1990). This species has been found at marine sites in Australia, Arctic Canada, Denmark, England, Gulf of Finland, Fiji and White Sea ( Larsen and Patterson 1990; Tong et al. 1998; Vørs 1992a, b, 1993a; Tikhonenkov et al. 2006) and reported cell length is from 9 to 18 µm. It was quite common at Avoca Beach and co-occurred with Protaspa gemmifera Larsen et Patterson, 1990 . This species is distinguished from other species in Protaspa by the strongly developed ventral groove and wide flagellar pocket. Protaspa verrucosa is very similar to Thaumatomastix setifera Lauterborn, 1896 , T. tripus (Takahashi et Hara, 1984) Beech et Moestrup, 1986 and T. splendida Thomsen et al., 1995 , but is distinguished by the lack of the visible body scales and spines.

Figures

Fig. 5. (a) Protaspa verrucosa, note ventral groove. (b) Thaumatomastix sp., general appearance of cell and showing a layer of body scales. (c)–(d) Clautriavia cavus, general appearance of different cells, (c) cell from Lee and Patterson (2000). (e) Gweamonas unicus, note coiled flagellum and flagellar insertion. (f)–(h) Eoramonas jungensis sp. nov., showing general appearance of different cells, note flagellar insertion and beating pattern of anterior flagellum. (i)–(j) Glissandra similis, showing general appearance of different cells, note the ventral groove. (k) Phyllomitus undulans, note two flagella adhering each other, from Lee (2002a). (l)–(m) Protist 1, showing general appearance, note flagellar insertion. (n) Protist 2, showing general appearance, note collar and two emergent flagella.All micrographs are DIC images. Scale bar in (h) = 5 μm for (e)–(h) and in (n) = 10 μm for other figures.