Morphology, Ontogeny, and Molecular Phylogeny of Two Freshwater Species of Deviata (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia) from Southern China

Abstract

The morphology and partial morphogenesis of two freshwater hypotrichous ciliates, Deviata brasiliensis Siqueira-Castro et al., 2009 and Deviata rositae Küppers et al., 2007, isolated from southern China, were investigated using live observation and protargol staining. Our populations resemble the original ones in terms of their live characters and ciliary patterns. The main determinable morphogenetic features of D. brasiliensis basically correspond with those of the type population. However, the origin of anlage V for either proter or opisthe is ambiguous: whether anlage V for the proter originates from parental frontoventral row 2 (the same as in the original population) or parental frontoventral row 3 (the same as in Deviata abbrevescens) or even de novo is not clear; the anlage V for the opisthe is possibly derived from frontoventral row 3 and further migrates to frontoventral row 2, like that in D. abbrevescens. In addition, the SSU rRNA gene was first sequenced for both species. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that the genus Deviata is non-monophyletic and has a close relationship with Perisincirra paucicirrata.

Integrative data of an unknown ciliate (Alveolata, Ciliophora) propose the establishment of Caudidiodeviata nov. gen.

“…Till now, morphogenesis of nine species of deviatids have been investigated in detail, i.e., Deviata abbrevescens, D. bacilliformis, D. brasiliensis, D. parabacilliformis, Idiodeviata venezuelensis Foissner, 2016, Notodeviata halophila Foissner, 2016, Perisincirra paucicirrata, Pseudosincirra longicirrata and Heterodeviata sinica. Four Deviata species differ from our species by the number of frontal ventral cirral anlagen (six vs. ve) and the absence (vs. presence) of dorsomarginal kinety anlage [41,[45][46][47]. Idiodeviata venezuelensis can be separated by the dorsal kinety anlage that does not produce caudal cirri at its rear end [7].…”

Integrative Studies on the Morphology, Morphogenesis and Molecular Phylogeny of a Soil Ciliate, Parakahliella macrostoma (Foissner, 1982) Berger et al., 1985 (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia)

“…8-10 (pop.1) and 4-9 (pop.2) vs 4; (4) more dorsal kineties (5 vs 2); (5) caudal cirri present (vs absent). Our populations can be separated from Perisincirra by having: (1) adoral zone of membranelles and undulating membranes patterns in Oxytricha pattern (vs. Gonostomum pattern); (2) more buccal cirri and parabuccal cirri number (3-4 vs 1, 3-5 vs 2, respectively); (3) more macronuclear nodules i.e., 8-10 (pop.1) vs 2, 4-9 (pop.2) vs 2; (4) more dorsal kineties (5 vs 3) (Li et al 2013;Luo et al 2016).…”

Morphogenesis and Molecular Characterization of a Little Known Soil Ciliate, Oxytricha nauplia Berger et Foissner, 1987 (Ciliophora, Sporadotrichida)

“…Ciliates in subclass Hypotrichia Stein, 1859 have been a consistent focus of researches on taxonomy and systematics (e.g. Müller 1773;Stein 1859;Kahl 1932;Bick 1972;Borror 1972;Corliss 1979;Berger and Foissner 1997;Song and Wilbert 1997a;Berger 1999;Foissner 1999;Song and Warren 1999;Song 2001;Foissner 2012;Foissner et al 2008;Chen et al 2013;Jiang et al 2013;Shao et al 2013aShao et al , b, 2014Dong et al 2016;Kumar and Foissner 2016;Luo et al 2016;Pan et al 2016;Chen et al 2017a, b;Gao et al 2017;Liu et al 2017;Song and Shao 2017). So far there is consensus among most taxonomists that the following characters are important for species separation in the family Oxytrichidae Ehrenberg, 1838: (i) body size, shape and colour; (ii) features of cortical granules; (iii) whether dorsal cilia and caudal cirri are indistinguishable or distinguishable from marginal cirri; (iv) relative length of buccal apparatus and DE value; (v) numbers and arrangement of macronuclear segments and micronuclei; (vi) ventral and dorsal ciliature; (vii) morphometric data relating to the ciliature; (viii) habitat (Song 1990;Song and Wilbert 1997b;Berger 1999;Foissner 1999;Song and Wilbert 2002;Küppers et al 2011;Chen et al 2013;Lv et al 2013;Shao et al 2013a, b;Singh et al 2013...…”