Blepharisma undulans, STEIN, 1867

Yan, Ying, Fan, Yangbo, Chen, Xiangrui, Li, Lifang, Warren, Alan, Al-Farraj, Saleh A. & Song, Weibo, 2016, Taxonomy and phylogeny of three heterotrich ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora), with description of a new Blepharisma species, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 177 (2), pp. 320-334 : 326

BLEPHARISMA UNDULANS STEIN, 1867

( FIGS 1G–J , 4J–M , 6E–K; TABLES 1, 4)

The morphology and infraciliature of a South Korean population of this species were recently described in detail ( Lee & Shin, 2009). Therefore, only a brief note of the Qingdao population is documented here.

Description based on Qingdao population Cells about 120–250 × 35–60 μm in vivo, body shape relatively stable: anterior conspicuously pointed, posterior end widely rounded ( Figs 1G , 4J ); width to thickness ratio about 2:3. Cells invariably bright pink at low magnification as a result of the presence of cortical granules. Cortical granules about 0.5 μm across, mostly dark rosered in colour although some are white (arrows in Fig. 4M ), distributed in numerous longitudinal rows between kineties ( Fig. 4J, M ). Pellicle soft. Peristome narrow, extending to mid-body region ( Figs 1G, I , 4J, K ). Paroral membrane difficult to detect in vivo ( Fig. 4J ). Cytoplasm usually packed with several food vacuoles ( Fig. 4J ). Two ellipsoidal macronuclear nodules, about 30 × 20 μm in stained individuals, one located in anterior and the other in posterior half of body, nuclear connective strand not detected ( Figs 1G , 4K ). Micronucleus not detected. Contractile vacuole c. 15 μm in diameter terminally located ( Figs 1G , 4J ). Locomotion mainly by gliding slowly on bottom of Petri dish.

Infraciliature consists entirely of dikinetids. Adoral zone composed of 42–68 membranelles, each of which consist of one short and two long rows of basal bodies. Paroral membrane composed of dikinetids: in anteri- or half only right basal body of each pair is ciliated, in posterior half both pairs are ciliated ( Figs 1H , 4L ). Twenty-one to 27 ciliary rows arranged longitudinally ( Fig. 1I, J ), cilia about 10 μm long in vivo. Amongst these about nine to 12 postoral (right side) rows are shortened, i.e. only 11–16 kineties extend complete length of cell ( Fig. 1I, J ).

Figures

Figure 1. Morphology and infraciliature of Anigsteinia clarissima (A–D), Blepharisma penardi sp. nov. (E, F, K, L), and Blepharisma undulans (G–J). A, left view of a typical individual of A. clarissima. B, paroral membrane of A. clarissima, anterior (double arrowheads) and posterior (arrow) parts are formed of dikinetids with only left basal body ciliated, middle part (arrowhead) formed by trikinetid fragments with all basal bodies ciliated. C, D, general infraciliature of A. clarissima, arrows show paroral membrane. E, left view of a typical individual of B. penardi sp. nov. F, L, dorsal (F) and ventral (L) views of infraciliature of B. penardi sp. nov. from the same specimen, arrow marks paroral membrane. G, left view of a typical individual of B. undulans. H, paroral membrane of B. undulans, anterior part with only right basal bodies ciliated and posterior part with both basal bodies ciliated. I, J, right (I) and left (J) views of B. undulans showing the infraciliature, arrow points to paroral membrane. K, paroral membrane of B. penardi sp. nov., anterior part consists of ciliated monokinetids, posterior part consists of dikinetids with only left basal body ciliated. Abbreviations: AZM, adoral zone of membranelles; CV, contractile vacuole; LCV, lacunar contractile vacuole system; SK, somatic kineties. Scale bars = 100 μm (A, C, D), 70 μm (E, G, I, J, L), 50 μm (B, H, K).

Figure 4. Photomicrographs of Blepharisma penardi sp. nov. from life (A–E, I) and after protargol staining (F–H), and Blepharisma undulans from life (J, M) and after protargol staining (K, L). A, C, D, left view, to show the shape variants, arrows in C, D mark the contractile vacuole. Note the cell colour: colourless (A) and dark-brownish (C). B, cytoplasmic granules. E, portion of cortex, showing the tiny, densely arranged cortical granules. F, G, general infraciliature. H, portion of buccal field, arrows point to paroral membrane. I, macronucleus. J, left view of a typical individual. K, right view, to show the two macronuclei. L, posterior portion of oral field, arrows indicate paroral membrane. M, to show cortical granules, note there are some white granules (arrows) amongst the coloured ones. Abbreviations: CV, contractile vacuole; Ma, macronucleus. Scale bars = 70 μm (A, C, D, F, G, J, K), 30 μm (H), 15 μm (B, E, I, L, M).

Figure 6. Nominal isolates of Blepharisma penardi sp. nov. (A, C, D), Blepharisma steini (B), and Blepharisma undulans (E–K). A, C, D, B. penardi sp. nov., originally described as an unnamed variety of Blepharisma lateritium, from Penard (1922). B, B. steini, from Kahl (1932). E, B. undulans, from Bhandary (1962). F, B. undulans, from Lee & Shin (2009). G, B. undulans, from Kahl (1932). H, B. undulans, from Cela (1972). I, B. undulans, from Suzuki (1954). J, K, B. undulans, from Dragesco & Dragesco-Kernéis (1991). Abbreviation: Ma, macronuclear nodules. Scale bars = 90 μm (B, I), 80 μm (G, F) 50 μm (C, E, H), 40 μm (J, K).