Vapor–liquid equilibria (VLE), heat capacities, densities, and viscosities of mixtures of water and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium acetate ([EMIM]­[OAc]) and mixtures of water and diethylmethylammonium methane sulfonate ([DEMA]­[OMs]) were measured in the temperature range T = (293.15 to 353.15) K. VLE measurements were carried out by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in a dynamic cell, and the experimental VLE data were correlated to the nonrandom two-liquid (NRTL) model. Measurements of the heat capacity were conducted via differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The density was measured with a pycnometer and the viscosity with a falling-sphere viscometer.

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Ciliate diversity was investigated in situ in freshwater ecosystems of the maritime (South Shetland Islands, mainly Livingston Island, 63 degrees S) and continental Antarctic (Victoria Land, 75 degrees S), and the High Arctic (Svalbard, 79 degrees N). In total, 334 species from 117 genera were identified in both polar regions, i.e. 210 spp. (98 genera) in the Arctic, 120 spp. (73 genera) in the maritime and 59 spp. (41 genera) in the continental Antarctic. Forty-four species (13% of all species) were common to both Arctic and Antarctic freshwater bodies and 19 spp. to both Antarctic areas (12% of all species). Many taxa are cosmopolitans but some, e.g. Stentor and Metopus spp., are not, and over 20% of the taxa found in any one of the three areas are new to science. Cluster analysis revealed that species similarity between different biotopes (soil, moss) within a study area was higher than between similar biotopes in different regions. Distinct differences in the species composition of freshwater and terrestrial communities indicate that most limnetic ciliates are not ubiquitously distributed. These observations and the low congruence in species composition between both polar areas, within Antarctica and between high- and temperate-latitude water bodies, respectively, suggest that long-distance dispersal of limnetic ciliates is restricted and that some species have a limited geographical distribution.

ABSTRACT. In an attempt to solve the ambiguity in the taxonomy of the Euplotes crassus, minuta, and vannus group, 19 strains were tested for mating interactions, electrophoresed for isozymic variations, and analyzed by multivariate morphometrics of the conventional diagnostic traits. The overall results supported the validity of the three named species. Inter‐specific mating occurred only in a few crassus x vannus strain combinations and was usually inviable. Isozymic variations, in particular of amylases, malic enzyme, and malic dehydrogenase, were very restricted within conspecific strains and were great between non‐conspecifics. The species ascertainment of the strains was possible on the basis of clustering and principal component analyses of morphological measures.

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ABSTRACT. One hundred twenty non‐autogamous wild‐type strains of Euplotes crassus, collected over seven years, mainly from the Mediterranean coasts, were investigated for their mating interactions. The strains were mixed pair‐wise and data from mating reactions were evaluated and organized by means of a specially constructed computer program. The program identified 38 strains with distinctive mating patterns which could be clustered in nine clumps, all of which were connected either directly or indirectly. Thus, all these strains appeared to be components of the same gene pool, even though direct genetic exchange between strains was not possible in every combination. Subsequently, the 38 strains were subjected to cytometric analysis and scored for zymic variations resulting from electrophoretic patterns of five enzyme systems (acid phosphatases, amylases, malic dehydrogenase, malic enzyme, and tetrazolium oxidases) of proved diagnostic value in the identification of Euplotes species. No significant discontinuities correlated with mating patterns was apparent from these analyses. It was concluded that the E. crassus strains analyzed are not properly divided in sibling species and it was consistently suggested to avoid a genetic partitioning of ciliate species endowed with high multiple mating type systems, in which the sets of wild strains brought under investigation with difficulty represent the natural dimensions of the species.