title: Autoecological and molecular approach to the species problem in the Euplotes vannus-crassus-minuta group (Ciliophora, Hypotrichida).
abstract: The long standing species problem in the Euplotes vannus-crassus-minuta group is addressed here by means of restriction enzyme rDNA maps and salinity and temperature tolerance tests performed on several strains of these morphospecies (i.e. morphologically identified species). The rationale in collecting such data (which add to others existing in literature) is to provide a broad data base to allow a multi-integrated approach to the problem at hand. The autoecological parameters considered and the rDNA maps proved to be different in the three morphospecies. Both recent literature and our data suggest the existence of E. vannus, E. crassus and E. minuta as separate evolutionary entities. Conceptual and practical implications of our findings are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Scienze dell'Ambiente e del Territorio, Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giannì
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Piras