Morphology and Morphogenesis of Two Species of the Genus Lembadion (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophora): Lembadion lucens and Lembadion bullinum

Abstract

The morphology and morphogenesis of two species of the genus Lernbadion, L. Iucens and L. bullinurn, are described. In both species, left and right ventral kineties converge behind the mouth forming a postoral suture. Buccal infraciliature is formed by one polykinety and two very close paroral kineties (inner and outer). During stomatogenesis, the new oral structures originate from the paroral kineties. The inner paroral kinety forms the new adoral polykinety and regenerates the outer paroral kinety of the proter, while the paroral kineties of the opisthe originate from the outer paroral kinety of the parental cell. Somatic proliferation starts before the stomatogenesis at the equatorial level of the cell, and extends towards the poles forming an equatorial band. Two large invariant zones, anterior and posterior, remain in the dividing cell. Moreover, the kinetodesmal fibers disappear in the proliferation band during the bipartition (fission) process.

Morphological Redescription and SSU rDNA-based Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Ciliates, Uronema nigricans and Lembadion lucens (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea), with Discussion on the Taxonomic Status of Uronemita sinensis

“…Comparison of the Zhanjiang population of Lembadion lucens with other populations (Table 3): Lembadion lucens has been described several times since it was originally reported (Maskell 1887, Kahl 1931, Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis 1986, Guinea et al 1990, Foissner et al 1994, Asadullayeva and Alekperov 2007. The population in the current study corresponds well with the original description (Maskell 1887) in terms of the body shape, size of the buccal field, shape of the macronucleus, and the manner of locomotion.…”

“…However, the latter had a more rounded body shape (vs. an elliptical Original; Foissner et al 1994;Song 1991;Evans 1968 Song et al 2009;Pan H. et al 2010Song et al 2009Song et al 2002 Pérez-Uz and Song Redescription of Two Freshwater Ciliates 31 Guinea et al 1990;Foissner et al 1994Foissner et al 1994Foissner et al 1994 Dragesco 1960 Dragesco 1965 Esteban (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis 1986). The population described by Guinea et al (1990) had similar cell size, cell shape, and buccal field size as the Zhanjiang population.…”

“…However, the latter had a more rounded body shape (vs. an elliptical Original; Foissner et al 1994;Song 1991;Evans 1968 Song et al 2009;Pan H. et al 2010Song et al 2009Song et al 2002 Pérez-Uz and Song Redescription of Two Freshwater Ciliates 31 Guinea et al 1990;Foissner et al 1994Foissner et al 1994Foissner et al 1994 Dragesco 1960 Dragesco 1965 Esteban (Dragesco and Dragesco-Kernéis 1986). The population described by Guinea et al (1990) had similar cell size, cell shape, and buccal field size as the Zhanjiang population. Minor differences were found in the number of in the Zhanjiang population), the number of basal bodies in the caudal cilia (10, arranged into two rows vs. seven or eight in two rows in the Zhanjiang population), and the number of dikinetids in SKs (which seemed to be composed of dikinetids in each SK vs. four or five dikinetids in the dorsal SKs and eight to 12 dikinetids in the ventral SKs in the Zhanjiang population).…”

“…Lembadion bullinum also has more and longer caudal cilia than L. lucens (about 17 kinetids of caudal cilia arranged into two rows with cilia that are 40-50 μm long Lembadion planus Obolkina, 2006 has a larger cell size (128-183 × 85-102 μm vs. 45-75 μm × 20-50 μm in L. lucens), a different body shape (diamond shaped, with tapered front and rear vs. oval to elliptical in L. lucens) and an oval macronucleus (vs. a kidney-shaped macronucleus in L. lucens). The species also has much more SKs (63-70 vs. 25-35) and more caudal cilia with a short length (five to seven dikinetids on the dorsal side and 15-18 on the ventral side, caudal cilia 17-18 μm vs. five or six kinetids on the dorsal side and two to four on the ventral side, caudal cilia 20-30 μm long in L. lucens) (Maskell 1887, Dragesco and DragescoKernéis 1986, Guinea et al 1990, Foissner et al 1994, Obolkina 2006. Consequently, these two species will not be confused.…”