title: Biodiversity of marine scuticociliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) from China: Description of seven morphotypes including a new species, Philaster sinensis spec. nov.
abstract: Seven marine scuticociliates, Philaster sinensis spec. nov., Pseudocohnilembus hargisi Evans and Thompson, 1964. J. Protozool. 11, 344, Parauronema virginianum Thompson, 1967. J. Protozool. 14, 731, Uronemella filificum (Kahl, 1931. Tierwelt. Dtl. 21, 181) Song and Wilbert, 2002. Zool. Anz. 241, 317, Cohnilembus verminus Kahl, 1931, Parauronema longum Song, 1995. J. Ocean Univ. China. 25, 461 and Glauconema trihymene Thompson, 1966. J. Protozool. 13, 393, collected from Chinese coastal waters, were investigated using live observations, silver impregnation methods, and, in the case of the new species, SSU rDNA sequencing. Philaster sinensis spec. nov. can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: body cylindrical, approximately 130-150 × 35-55 μm in vivo; apical end slightly to distinctly pointed, posterior generally rounded; 19-22 somatic kineties; M1 triangular, consisting of 13 or 14 transverse rows of kinetosomes; M2 comprising 10-12 longitudinal rows; CVP positioned at end of SK1; marine habitat. We also provide improved diagnoses for Pseudocohnilembus hargisi, Parauronema virginianum, Uronemella filificum and Parauronema longum based on their original descriptions as well as the present work. Phylogenetic analyses support the monophyly of the genus Philaster.
authors: Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China; Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
authors: Xuming
authors: X
authors: Pan
authors: Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China. Electronic address: zyi@scnu.edu.cn.
authors: Zhenzhen
authors: Z
authors: Yi
authors: Key Laboratory of Ecology and Environmental Science in Guangdong Higher Education, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China.
authors: Jiqiu
authors: J
authors: Li
authors: Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Evolution & Marine Biodiversity, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, China.
authors: Honggang
authors: H
authors: Ma
authors: Zoology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Saleh A
authors: SA
authors: Al-Farraj
authors: Zoology Department, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
authors: Khaled A S
authors: KA
authors: Al-Rasheid
mesh_terms: D044822:Biodiversity; D002681:China; D016798:Ciliophora / Q000145:classification* / Q000166:cytology* / Q000235:genetics; D004275:DNA, Ribosomal / Q000235:genetics; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004275:DNA, Ribosomal
keywords: Marine habitat; Philaster sinensis spec. nov.; Phylogeny; Scuticociliates