title: Taxonomy, morphology and molecular systematics of three oligotrich ciliates, including a description of Apostrombidium parakielum spec. nov. (Ciliophora, Oligotrichia).
abstract: Three oligotrich ciliates, Apostrombidium parakielum spec. nov., Novistrombidium apsheronicum (Alekperov & Asadullayeva, 1997) Agatha, 2003 and Novistrombidium testaceum (Anigstein, 1914) Song & Bradbury, 1998 were collected from the coastal waters of China and their morphology and small-subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences were studied. The novel species can be recognized by the combination of its obconical body shape, 14-16 anterior and 6-8 ventral membranelles, somatic kinety in three parts and conspicuously long dorsal cilia. Based on the data obtained for this novel species, an improved diagnosis of the genus Apostrombidium is supplied. Descriptions of the population of N. apsheronicum and N. testaceum collected in this study are also provided and compared with the existing descriptions. In addition, the phylogenetic positions of these three species are inferred from their SSU rRNA gene sequence data. The results indicate that the genus Apostrombidium, the systematics of which has not previously been discussed using molecular information, clusters with Varistrombidium kielum and Omegastrombidium elegans, whereas N. testaceum and N. apsheronicum form a single clade.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Wen
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Jiamei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Weiwei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: College of Fishery and Life Science, Shanghai Ocean University, Shanghai 201306, PR China.
authors.forename: Jiamei
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jiang
authors.affiliation: Zoology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Khaled A S Al-
authors.initials: KASA
authors.lastname: Rasheid
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, PR China.
authors.forename: Xiaozhong
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Hu
mesh_terms: D002681:China; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology / Q000235:genetics; D016054:DNA, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics; D020459:Genes, rRNA; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D012623:Seawater / Q000382:microbiology*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D016054:DNA, Protozoan