A New Family of Entodiniomorph Protozoa from the Marsupial Forestomach, with Descriptions of a New Genus and Five New Species

Abstract

A unique group of entodiniomorph protozoa was found in forestomach contents from quokka (Setonix brachyurus), western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and euro (Macropus robustus erubescens). A new genus, Macropodinium n.g., containing five new species, is described. Three species are described from forestomach contents of the quokka: Macropodinium baldense n. sp., Macropodinium moiri n. sp. and Macropodinium setonixum n. sp. A single species, Macropodinium ennuensis n. sp., is described from the red kangaroo and euro. The last species, Macropodinium yalanbense n. sp., is described in forestomach contents from the western grey kangaroo. At least three distinct features in the new genus are incompatible with any of the described families in the order Entodiniomorphida. On this basis, the new family Macropodiniidae has been created.

Four New Species of Macropodinium (Ciliophora: Litostomatea) from Australian Wallabies and Pademelons

“…30. Redrawn after Dehority, 1996. a, adoral kineties; mab, major somatic kinety band; mib, minor somatic kinety band; o, oral cilia; p, preoral kineties; s, somatic cilia; v, vestibular kineties; R, right side; L, left side; D, dorsal surface; V, ventral surface.…”

“…Nonetheless, ultrastructural studies are required to provide a familial diagnosis in keeping with the standards advocated by many contemporary workers (Lynn 1996). Until this occurs, the majority of characters used by Dehority (1996) to erect the family Macropodiniidae has been relegated to the generic diagnosis of Macropodinium either unaltered or modified on the basis of new information presented in this paper.…”

“…29–30). Dehority (1996) described Macropodinium as being dorso‐ventrally compressed and divided into dorsal and ventral halves by a lateral groove. The ventral surface of ciliates is conventionally defined as the side of the cell on which the oral cavity opens.…”

“…The macropodiniids are characterised by unique lattice‐like pellicular patterning and a single longitudinal band of somatic cilia. Dehority (1996) described 5 ciliate species from 4 host species and suggested that the ciliate fauna of macropodid marsupials may be quite diverse. The aim of this study was to investigate the ciliate fauna of macropodid marsupials more thoroughly by the examination of new host species and new geographic regions and to apply silver staining techniques to resolve the precise arrangement of the ciliary bands.…”

Gastrointestinal Tracts of Herbivores, Particularly the Ruminant: Anatomy, Physiology and Microbial Digestion of Plants

“…The lesser curvature has a n esophageal groove which bypasses the fermentation area. Both bacteria and protozoa have been shown to be present (Bauchop, 1977;Dehority, 1996).…”