Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae
The diversity of anaerobic ciliates is greatly underestimated owing to the limitation in sampling and cultivation when compared with their aerobic counterparts. In this study, four anaerobic ciliates, viz. <i>Brachonella abnormalis</i> sp. nov., <i>Brachonella contorta</i> (L...
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2025-01-01
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| author | Song Li Wenbao Zhuang Xiaochen Feng Alan Warren Jun Gong |
| author_facet | Song Li Wenbao Zhuang Xiaochen Feng Alan Warren Jun Gong |
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| description | The diversity of anaerobic ciliates is greatly underestimated owing to the limitation in sampling and cultivation when compared with their aerobic counterparts. In this study, four anaerobic ciliates, viz. <i>Brachonella abnormalis</i> sp. nov., <i>Brachonella contorta</i> (Levander, 1894) Jankowski, 1964, <i>Metopus contortus</i> (Quennerstedt, 1867) Kahl, 1932, and <i>Metopus major</i> Kahl, 1932, were investigated by live observation, protargol staining and 18S rRNA gene sequencing. <i>B. abnormalis</i> sp. nov. can be separated from its congeners by a combination of the following features: bullet-shaped cell with a life size of about 130–190 × 90–120 μm, dikinetids distributed along dorsal dome kineties, highly developed adoral zone comprised of 87–107 polykinetids, making about 450° spiralization around the long axis. The present work demonstrates that two known species, <i>M. contortus</i> and <i>M. major</i>, have a special trait never previously reported, viz. short, regularly arranged preoral dome dikinetids. Species with short, regularly arranged dome dikinetids appear in divergent clades in SSU rRNA gene trees, which may infer that this trait evolved several times. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data also support the monophyly of the genus <i>Brachonella</i> and the paraphyly of the order Metopida, respectively. |
| format | Article |
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| institution | DOAJ |
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| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-91049ff2e0c8470b900c9d76c6657f5f2025-08-20T02:44:32ZengMDPI AGMicroorganisms2076-26072025-01-0113224010.3390/microorganisms13020240Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family MetopidaeSong Li0Wenbao Zhuang1Xiaochen Feng2Alan Warren3Jun Gong4Laboratory of Microbial Ecology and Matter Cycles, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaKey Laboratory of Mariculture, Ministry of Education, College of Fisheries, Ocean University of China, Qingdao 266003, ChinaDepartment of Life Sciences, Natural History of Museum, London SW7 5BD, UKLaboratory of Microbial Ecology and Matter Cycles, School of Marine Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Zhuhai 519082, ChinaThe diversity of anaerobic ciliates is greatly underestimated owing to the limitation in sampling and cultivation when compared with their aerobic counterparts. In this study, four anaerobic ciliates, viz. <i>Brachonella abnormalis</i> sp. nov., <i>Brachonella contorta</i> (Levander, 1894) Jankowski, 1964, <i>Metopus contortus</i> (Quennerstedt, 1867) Kahl, 1932, and <i>Metopus major</i> Kahl, 1932, were investigated by live observation, protargol staining and 18S rRNA gene sequencing. <i>B. abnormalis</i> sp. nov. can be separated from its congeners by a combination of the following features: bullet-shaped cell with a life size of about 130–190 × 90–120 μm, dikinetids distributed along dorsal dome kineties, highly developed adoral zone comprised of 87–107 polykinetids, making about 450° spiralization around the long axis. The present work demonstrates that two known species, <i>M. contortus</i> and <i>M. major</i>, have a special trait never previously reported, viz. short, regularly arranged preoral dome dikinetids. Species with short, regularly arranged dome dikinetids appear in divergent clades in SSU rRNA gene trees, which may infer that this trait evolved several times. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data also support the monophyly of the genus <i>Brachonella</i> and the paraphyly of the order Metopida, respectively.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/240anaerobediversityMetopidae ciliatenew speciesribosomal RNA gene |
| spellingShingle | Song Li Wenbao Zhuang Xiaochen Feng Alan Warren Jun Gong Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae Microorganisms anaerobe diversity Metopidae ciliate new species ribosomal RNA gene |
| title | Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae |
| title_full | Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae |
| title_fullStr | Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae |
| title_short | Morphology and Molecular Phylogeny of Four Anaerobic Ciliates (Protista, Ciliophora, Armophorea), with Report of a New Species and a Unique Arrangement Pattern of Dikinetids in Family Metopidae |
| title_sort | morphology and molecular phylogeny of four anaerobic ciliates protista ciliophora armophorea with report of a new species and a unique arrangement pattern of dikinetids in family metopidae |
| topic | anaerobe diversity Metopidae ciliate new species ribosomal RNA gene |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/13/2/240 |
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