First record of Cycloposthium edentatum Strelkow, 1928 from the black-striped wallaby, Macropus dorsalis.
The cycloposthiid ciliate Cycloposthium edentatum Strelkow 1928 is redescribed from the stomach content of the black-striped wallaby, Macropus dorsalis (Gray) following protargol staining and light and electron microscopy. This is the first record of a cycloposthiid ciliate occurring in a marsupial, as all previous records have been restricted to eutherian herbivores, especially equids. C. edentatum was found in 7 (39%) of 18 black-striped wallabies examined, but not in any of 263 animals belonging to another 20 macropodid species examined. C. edentatum is distinguished by the form of the macronucleus, the presence of a longitudinal pellicular groove, a broad posterior tail and pellicular patterning. C. edentatum specimens recovered from M. dorsalis were smaller than those reported from horses, being up to 50% shorter and 42% thinner.
Cameron
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Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, The University of Queensland, Australia. s.cameron@mailbox.uq.edu.au
O'Donoghue
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Adlard
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D000818:Animals; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007614:Macropodidae / Q000469:parasitology*