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This is the first characterization of the structure and temporal variation of the plankton communities comprising the complete food web in five peat bog pools related to environmental factors over two consecutive ice-free periods in Tierra del Fuego (548S). Remarkably, picophytoplankton was composed solely of eukaryotic cells, surpassing the dominance expectations for these acidic water bodies, whereas testaceans were virtually absent, even as tychoplankters. Abundances of the different planktonic communities were slightly higher than those reported for Northern Hemisphere peat bogs and humic lakes. Mixotrophic nutrition prevailed among nano-and microphytoplankters, a strategy also common in humic lakes. The structures in spring of the planktonic communities were similar. In contrast, in late summer there were differences in the abundance and biomass of the different trophic compartments among small, shallow water bodies and large ones. These seem to be dictated by distinct pool size-driven patterns of water temperature variation. A general shift in the control of heterotrophic flagellates abundance in the pools occurred, changing from bottom-up regulation in spring to top-down control in late summer related to

Morphology, infraciliature, morphogenetic features, and some ecological data for Pelagostrobilidium wilberti n. sp. are described. This new species was collected from a temporary pond in Magdalena, Buenos Aires province, Argentina, which was sampled monthly from August 2003 to July 2005. The species was found in autumn and winter. Observations were made in vivo and after staining with protargol. Pelagostrobilidium wilberti n. sp. measures 63-84 x 42-49 microm in vivo and is conical in shape, with a posterior spine-like cytoplasmic process. It possesses 6 somatic kineties, with kinety 2 sinistrally curved and shorter than the others. The oral apparatus is composed of 25-32 external and two internal membranelles. The macronucleus is horseshoe-shaped and located beneath the oral apparatus; two or three spherical micronuclei lie dorsally. There is a posterior contractile vacuole. Morphogenesis is hypo-apokinetal and begins dorsally between the curved kinety 2 and kinety 3. After the discovery of this new species, the diagnosis of the genus Pelagostrobilidium was amended.

Soil samples were taken from a temporary pond located in Buenos Aires province, Argentina, during the dry phase in the summer of 2005. The ciliates were studied alive and after staining with protargol. Deviata rositae n. sp. measures 112-154 microm in length and 21-28 microm in width in vivo and has a vermiform body. The contractile vacuole is located in the mid-body on the left. The macronucleus is moniliform and there are 1-3 micronuclei. The oral apparatus is composed of 14-18 adoral membranelles and straight paroral and endoral membranes that never intersect each other. The somatic ciliature is arranged in four frontal cirri, one buccal cirrus, six long and slightly spiraled rows of cirri with the first right row extending up to the equatorial or sub-equatorial region, and two dorsal rows of dikinetids. This new species of Deviata primarily differs from its congeners by the number of macronuclear nodules and the number and disposition of the dorsal rows of dikinetids.

Hypotrichous ciliates collected in the plankton and soil samples from a temporary pond in Buenos Aires province, Argen-tina, were characterized after live observations and protargol impregnation. Apoamphisiella hymenophora (Stokes) Berger is redescribed and the neotype material deposited. Apoamphisiella hymenophora differs from its congeners in having 2 macronuclear nodules, 1 contractile vacuole with anterior and posterior collecting canals, the absence of cortical granules, 2 cirri behind the rightmost frontal cirrus, 1 postoral cirrus, 6 dorsal rows of dikinetids along with scattered dikinetids on the right body margin, and 3–9 caudal cirri arranged in groups at the ends of dorsal rows 1, 2, and 4. Rigidohymena can-dens, R. quadrinucleata, Histriculus histrio, Gastrostyla steinii, and Pseudouroleptus caudatus are new for the Argentine microfauna. Since especially the soil ciliates have been almost unexplored in South America, the results from the present investigation describe and contribute to the knowledge of the diversity of these microorganisms within this geographical region.

Described herein are the morphology and certain morphogenetic stages of a new freshwater ciliate species, Deviata polycirrata n. sp., and of Deviata bacilliformis recorded in the soil of a dried temporary pond from Argentina. Ciliates were studied alive and after silver impregnation with Protargol. Deviata polycirrata n. sp. measures 130-180 x 45-70 microm in vivo. The species possesses 8-9 long cirral rows on the right and 9-13 on the left of the oral zone, and 3 dorsal rows of dikinetids. The adoral zone is composed of 39-48 membranelles. There are four macronuclear nodules and usually two micronuclei. A single contractile vacuole is located equatorially on the left body margin. This new species mainly differs from its congeners in having a higher number of cirral rows, the three long dorsal rows of dikinetids (vs. usually one to two dorsal rows of dikinetids), and a higher number of adoral membranelles. The other species reported here, D. bacilliformis, is recorded for the first time in Argentina. Unlike previous observations on this species, on the dorsal surface there are cirral rows that are preceded by cilia (combined cirral rows), and stomatogenesis begins with the proliferation of non-ciliferous basal bodies some distance posterior to the buccal vertex.

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