Diophrys oligothrix Borror, 1965

Bharti, Daizy & Kumar, Santosh, 2019, Ten new records of Protozoan Ciliates (Protozoa: Ciliophora) from India, Records of the Zoological Survey of India 119 (2), pp. 111-119 : 113-115

5. Diophrys oligothrix Borror, 1965 ( Figure 1E )

Diagnosis of the Indian population (Data based on 4 specimens): Size about 50 × 30 μm in protargol preparations; shape ovoid with concavity at the posterior body end. Nuclear apparatus composed of two parts of macronuclear nodules arranged in C-shape pattern, one or two micronuclei attached to nodules at various positions. Adoral zone occupies about 55% of body length, composed of about 24 membranelles. On average composed of seven frontoventral and five very prominent transverse cirri. Left marginal cirral row composed of two cirri. Four dorsal kineties, three caudal cirri.

Material deposited: One slide with protargol-impregnated specimens have been deposited at the National Zoological Collections of the Zoological Survey of India, Kolkata,

India with the following accession numbers Pt. 3938 (5 specimens marked on the slide) .

Occurrence and ecology: This species has been recorded from America , Antarctic , Europe , China and Korea. The present study reports its presence from the water sample collected from the urban area in Vashi , Navi Mumbai, i.e., surroundings of Flamingo Bird Sanctuary (19°04’34’’N 72°59’02’’E). It feeds mainly of bacteria .

Figures

Figure 1. Photomicrographs of protargol impregnated specimens. A. Anteholosticha intermedia. B. Rigidosticha italiensis, arrowhead marks the paroral membrane. C. Monomicrocaryon balladyna. D. Urosoma karinae. E. Diophrys oligothrix. AZM, adoral zone of membranelles; BC, buccal cirrus; CC, caudal cirri; LM, left marginal row; MA, macronuclear nodules; MI, micronuclei; MVP, midventral cirral pairs; RM, right marginal row; TC, transverse cirri. Scale bars 40 μm (A, B, D), 20 μm (C, E).