A new choanoflagellate species from Taiwan: morphological and molecular biological studies of Diplotheca elongata nov. spec. and D. costata.
A new species of acanthoecid choanoflagellate isolated from brackish waters of the Danshui estuary in North Taiwan has a mineralized lorica that consists of two chambers with a total length of 19-36microm. It shares with Diplotheca costata the features of a posterior lorica chamber formed from broad and flattened costal strips and an anterior chamber with spatula-shaped costal strips. The new species has therefore been placed in the same genus and named Diplotheca elongata. A phylogenetic analysis of partial SSU rDNA sequences from Diplotheca costata and D. elongata supports this taxonomic affiliation. This is a large and distinctive choanoflagellate which has not been reported in any previous study, suggesting that it may be an endemic species of restricted distribution.
Nitsche
Frank
F
University of Cologne, Zoological Institute, General Ecology and Limnology, Weyertal 119, D-50931 Köln, Germany.
Arndt
Hartmut
H
D000818:Animals; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification* / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010802:Phylogeny; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D045483:Rivers / Q000469:parasitology*; D013045:Species Specificity; D013624:Taiwan
D016054:DNA, Protozoan; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal; D012335:RNA, Ribosomal