Showing papers by "Saleh A. Al-Farraj published in 2015"
TL;DR: Phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit rRNA gene sequences showed that C. parauncinata clustered with Chilodonella uncinata, but was a well‐outlined species of the genus, and C. derouxi grouped in the family Lynchellidae with their congeners to form the monophyletic genus Chlamydonella.
Abstract: This study investigated the morphology and molecular characteristics of three interesting free-living cyrtophorid ciliates, including two new species, isolated from China: Chilodonella parauncinata sp. n. can be identified by its elongated body shape, with a sharp protrusion in the left anterior part, cell size ca. 60 × 25 μm in vivo, five right and 6-7 left kineties with kinetosomes densely arranged, and a curved cyrtos. Chlamydonella irregularis sp. n. differs from its congeners by the oval body shape, cell size 50-60 × 25-40 μm in vivo, irregular shape of macronucleus, 30-40 club-shaped ventral protuberances, and 17 somatic kineties. Two isolates of Chlamydonella derouxi Song, 2003, collected from an intertidal area in Shandong and a mangrove wetland in Guangdong respectively, correspond well with two previous descriptions, but differ in comprising more basal bodies in left and right equatorial fragments and in having more finger-like protuberances on the ventral side. Phylogenetic analyses based on the small subunit rRNA gene sequences showed that C. parauncinata sp. n. clustered with Chilodonella uncinata, but was a well-outlined species of the genus, and C. irregularis sp. n. and C. derouxi grouped in the family Lynchellidae with their congeners to form the monophyletic genus Chlamydonella.
23 citations
TL;DR: The morphology and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences of three new species of ciliates in the genus Strombidium are recorded: S. paracapitatum sp.
Abstract: The morphology and small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences of three new species of ciliates in the genus Strombidium are recorded: S. paracapitatum sp. nov., S. cuneiforme sp. nov., and S. caudispina sp. nov. Strombidium paracapitatum sp. nov. is characterized by having a prominent and transparent apical protrusion and two types of extrusomes. Strombidium cuneiforme sp. nov. differs from its congeners in the combination of its long conical body shape, eyespot and elongated tail. Strombidium caudispina sp. nov. is recognized by its posterior spine and short ventral kinety. In SSU rRNA gene trees, all members of the genus Strombidium cluster into three separate groups. The first group is composed of nine Strombidium species including S. cuneiforme sp. nov., plus Williophrya maedai. The second group consists of S. paracapitatum sp. nov., S. caudispina sp. nov. and three congeners. The third group comprises S. conicum and S. chlorophilum.http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:25871A6B-772A-...
20 citations
TL;DR: The morphology and systematic positions of three new oligotrich ciliates sampled from habitats with different salinities in southern China, including Parallelostrombidium obesum sp.
19 citations
TL;DR: Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA sequence data indicate that the three organisms are located within the genus Condylostoma; the genus condemns fails to form a monophyletic branch in both Maximum-likelihood tree and Bayesian inference analysis, Nonetheless, the AU test shows that the monophyly of Condylstoma could not be rejected.
19 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: The results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations (except Pb and Cd) in the shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus are below the threshold levels associated with the toxicological effects and the regulatory limits.
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to determine levels of zinc, nickel, copper, lead, cobalt and cadmium, in gills, muscle tissue and exoskeleton of the shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus, caught from Jazan, southern Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia, and to assess whether these metals are within permissible limits for human consumption. The analysis showed that occurrence of heavy metals were in the order Zn > Pb > Cd > Cu > Ni > Co in gills, Zn > Cu > Pb > Cd > Ni > Co in muscles and Zn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd > Co in exoskeleton. An overall ranking of average trace metal levels in the analyzed tissues resulted as gills > exoskeleton > muscles for Zn, Pb and Cd and; in case of Ni, Cu and Co the sequence was exoskeleton > muscle > gills. The highest mean Pb, Cd and Zn concentrations (21.33, 6.33 and 24.0 µg g -1 wet weight, respectively) were found in gills samples, but the highest level of Ni, Cu and Co (3.0, 11.67 and 1. 36 µg g -1 , respectively) was observed in exoskeleton. The results revealed that the heavy metal concentrations (except Pb and Cd) in the shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus are below the threshold levels associated with the toxicological effects and the regulatory limits. This study is the first on the shrimp Penaeus semisulcatus in this area and data are important as a background for the estimation of the future impact of metal concentrations in this area.
19 citations
TL;DR: Seven marine scuticociliates, Philaster sinensis spec.
18 citations
TL;DR: The monophyly of species of the genus Sterkiella is not completely supported in analyses, and approximately unbiased tests also reject the possibility that Sterkieella is a monophyletic lineage, as indicated by the morphology-based classification.
Abstract: A novel marine hypotrichous ciliate, Sterkiella subtropica sp. nov., was recently isolated from a mangrove wetland in Hong Kong. Its morphology, morphogenesis and systematic position have been investigated. The novel species is diagnosed by combined features of morphology, ciliature and nuclear apparatus, while its ontogenetic events present a stable pattern: (i) the six streaks of the undulating membrane (UM) and cirral anlagen are segmented in a 1 : 3 : 3 : 3 : 4 : 4 pattern from left to right, and form three frontal, four frontoventral, one buccal, five ventral and five transverse cirri; (ii) the dorsal structure is similar to most other oxytrichids; that is, in a '4 + 2' pattern with three caudal cirri being formed. Based on the small-subunit rDNA sequence, the novel species is different from its congeners by between 21 and 35 bp, with sequence identities from 0.978 to 0.987. All molecular trees exhibited a similar topology: the monophyly of species of the genus Sterkiella is not completely supported in our analyses, and approximately unbiased tests (both including and excluding the novel species) also reject the possibility that Sterkiella is a monophyletic lineage, as indicated by the morphology-based classification.
13 citations
TL;DR: In this study, the SSU rRNA gene was sequenced for the first time, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that it is closely related to the eurystomus-aediculatus-woodruffi- complex.
Abstract: This paper investigates the morphology and morphogenesis during binary fission of a Chinese population of Euplotes amieti Dragesco, 1970, a fresh water form which has previously not been well defined. This organism is morphologically very similar to the well-known Euplotes eurystomus but differs from the latter both in the number of dorsal kineties and the molecular data. According to the information obtained, it is characterized by a combination of features including nine frontoventral cirri, ca. 60 membranelles, 12–15 dorsal kineties, a macronucleus in the shape of the number 3, and a ‘double- eurystomus ’ type of silverline system. Its morphogenesis proceeds broadly in the same pattern as in its congeners. In this study, the SSU rRNA gene was sequenced for the first time, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that it is closely related to the eurystomus-aediculatus-woodruffi- complex. Considering the extreme similarities in morphology between E. amieti and E. eurystomus , we believe that the four sequences (four isolates) under the name of Euplotes eurystomus (No. FR873716; FR873717; EF193250; AJ310491 deposited in GenBank) are very likely from misidentified material; that is, they represent different populations of Euplotes amieti .
13 citations
TL;DR: A new population of Thigmokeronopsis stoecki was found and its binary divisional process was described for the first time, and it was revealed that most pseudokeronopsids share the same pattern in the origins of their oral primordia and fronto-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen.
Abstract: The urostylid family Pseudokeronopsidae Borror and Wicklow, 1983 was considered to be a well-outlined taxon. Nevertheless, recent evidence, including morphological, ontogenetic, and molecular information, has consistently revealed the polyphyly of this family. In the present work, a new population of Thigmokeronopsis stoecki Shao et al., 2008 was found and its binary divisional process was described for the first time. In addition, the morphogenetic features of Thigmokeronopsis species and all the other pseudokeronopsids, for which detailed ontogenetic data are available, were rechecked and compared. This reveals that: (1) the ontogenetic process of T. stoecki corresponds well with its congeners T. jahodai and T. rubra except for the macronuclear behavior; (2) Apokeronopsis and Thigmokeronopsis share a similar ontogenetic mode despite of the differences in the number and origin of their buccal cirri; (3) most pseudokeronopsids share the same pattern in the origins of their oral primordia and fronto-ventral-transverse cirral anlagen, except for Pseudokeronopsis similis, which may not be a valid member of the family Pseudokeronopsidae.
12 citations
TL;DR: The hypothesis that the freshwater genus Loxodes evolved from the marine genus Remanella is supported, based on infraciliature and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence data, that was monophyletic and nested within Remanlla species.
Abstract: The morphology and phylogeny of Loxodes vorax and L. striatus orientalis subsp. n. were investigated based on infraciliature and small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene sequence data. Loxodes striatus orientalis subsp. n. was separated from L. striatus striatus stat. n. by having fewer dikinetids in the intrabuccal kinety (35-55 vs. 50-70) and a variable number of macronuclei (2-4 vs. 2). In addition, the SSU rRNA gene sequence of the new subspecies differs in 13 and 11 nucleotides from that of two populations of the nominotypic subspecies. We also summarized the morphological differences between Loxodes and Remanella based on the data available. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genus Loxodes was monophyletic and nested within Remanella species. This study might, therefore, support the hypothesis that the freshwater genus Loxodes evolved from the marine genus Remanella.
12 citations
Journal Article•
TL;DR: A molluscan assemblage (bivalves and gastropods) collected from the intertidal water of Tarut Bay, east coast of Saudi Arabia and assessed the degree of post-mortal alteration of the shell material was documented.
Abstract: The present contribution documented a molluscan assemblage (bivalves and gastropods) collected from the intertidal water of Tarut Bay, east coast of Saudi Arabia and assessed the degree of post-mortal alteration of the shell material. In this assemblage, bivalve shells were totally dominated by disarticulated valves and had significant taphonomic alteration in their shells. Four principal taphonomic attributes were analysed: encrustation, bioerosion, fragmentation and abrasion. Three types of encrusters were recorded on shells of the present study: balanoids, polychaetes and bivalves (Spondylus and oysters). Amongst, balanoid barnacles represented the most common encrusters that were recorded in both gastropod and bivalve shells. It was observed that each encruster attached on the host as a single epibiont and no share with other epibionts on the same host. Bioerosion traces in shells were predominately those of clionid sponges and gastropods. They were represented by the ichnogenera Entobia and Oichnus. The presence of drill holes assigned to the ichnospecies Oichnus simplex Bromley, 1981 were made by muricid gastropods which are common in the study area. Fragmentation was mainly resulted from biological processes (bird predation) on the brittle-shelled bivalve species Vepricardium asiaticum. Many of bivalves were observed abraded, lacking-sheen, and showed evidence of corrosion.
TL;DR: Ten new species of myxosporeans found from marine fishes were collected from coastal waters off the Yellow Sea in China, providing the morphology and geographic distribution of these organisms.
Abstract: Ten new species of myxosporeans found from marine fishes were collected from coastal waters off the Yellow Sea in China: Sphaerospora sebasta sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Sebastes schlegeli , Ceratomyxa hemitriptera sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Hemitripterus villosus , Ceratomyxa kareus sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladders of Kareius bicoloratus and Zebrias zebra , Ceratomyxa lateolabrax sp. n. and Ceratomyxa lomi sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Lateolabrax japonicus , Ceratomyxa qingdaoensis sp. n. coelozoic in the urinary bladder of Argyrosomus argentatus , Ceratomyxa saurida sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Saurida elongata , Ceratomyxa sebastisca sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Sebastiscus sp., Ceratomyxa simplex sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Chirolophis japonicus and Ceratomyxa triacantha sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder and bile of Triacanthus brevirostris . All those forms were described in a book chapter cited as “known forms” several years ago, but have never been formally established as new taxa which are thus officially reported here. The present contribution only provided the morphology and geographic distribution of these organisms.
TL;DR: It is supposed that the toxicyst of Askenasia may be close to taxa of prostomes instead of haptorians, and the dorsal brush is a more typical morphological characteristics of haPTorians than toxicysts.
Abstract: Prostomates and haptorians are two basal groups of ciliates with limited morphological characteristics available for taxonomy. Morphologically, the structures used to identify prostomates and haptorians are similar or even identical, which generate heavy taxonomic and phylogenetic confusion. In present work, phylogenetic positions lineage of two rare genera, Plagiopogon and Askenasia, were investigated. Three genes including small subunit ribosomal RNA gene (hereafter SSU rDNA), internal transcribed spacer region (ITS region), and large subunit ribosomal RNA gene (LSU rDNA) were analyzed, 10 new sequences five species each. Our findings included 1) class Prostomatea and order Haptorida are multiphyletic; 2) it may not be appropriate to place order Cyclotrichiida in subclass Haptoria, and the systematic lineage of order Cyclotrichiida needs to be verified further; 3) genus Plagiopogon branches consistently within a clade covering most prostomes and is basal of clade Colepidae, implying its close lineage to Prostomatea; and 4) Askenasia is phylogenetically distant from the subclass Haptoria but close to classes Prostomatea, Plagiopylea and Oligohymenophorea. We supposed that the toxicyst of Askenasia may be close to taxa of prostomes instead of haptorians, and the dorsal brush is a more typical morphological characteristics of haptorians than toxicysts.
TL;DR: The phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data revealed that Architricha is sister to the assemblage of Pseudouroleptus caudatus and two Strongylidium, while P. curdsi clusters with its congener P. lanceolata and is located in Stylonychinae.
Abstract: Two oxytrichids Architricha indica Gupta et al ., 2006 and Pleurotricha curdsi (Shi et al . 2002) Gupta et al ., 2003 collected in East China, were studied using live observation and the silver staining method. The description and morphometric characterization of the new populations were supplied. The Shanghai population of A. indica differs from the Indian population in the number of cirri in the third right marginal row (average of 16.8 vs. 21.1). The Shanghai population of P. curdsi corresponds well with the Indian population, but it differs from the other Chinese population in the number of right marginal rows (two vs. three). The early process of reorganization of A. indica was studied, and a difference on the formation of anlage V was found compared to the original report. The small subunit rRNA genes of both species were sequenced for the first time. The phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rRNA gene sequence data revealed that Architricha is sister to the assemblage of Pseudouroleptus caudatus and two Strongylidium , while P. curdsi clusters with its congener P. lanceolata and is located in Stylonychinae.
TL;DR: The morphology and infraciliature of the four hypotrichous ciliates and their phylogenetic positions were investigated by using live observation and protargol impregnation method and confirms the monophyly of the subfamily Stylonychinae and verified R. inquieta as a separated species from R. candens.
Abstract: The morphology and infraciliature of the four hypotrichous ciliates; Rigidohymena inquieta (Stokes, 1887) Berger, 2011, Pattersoniella vitiphila Foissner, 1987, Notohymena australis Foissner & O' Donoghue, 1990, and Cyrtohymena (Cyrtohymenides) australis (Foissner, 1995) Foissner, 2004, collected from east China, were investigated by using live observation and protargol impregnation method. An improved diagnosis for R. inquieta was supplied based on descriptions of present and previous populations. New morphology and morphogenesis information based on Chinese populations of another three hypotrichids were also supplemented. The Small-subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene sequences of the four species were characterized and their phylogenetic positions were revealed by means of Bayesian inference and Maximum-likelihood analysis. The analyses shows that R. inquieta clusters with other members of the subfamily Stylonychinae, which confirms the monophyly of the subfamily and verified R. inquieta as a separated species from R. candens though it differs from others mainly by body size. C. (C.) australis occupying the basal position of the clade which contains cyrtohymenids and some other groups, declines the idea of separating Cyrtohymena into two subgenus. Notohymena australis and China population of Pattersoniella vitiphila respectively clustering with their congeners correspond well with the systematics revealed by morphological similarities.
TL;DR: Chaenea sinica spec.
Abstract: During faunistic studies of ciliates in coastal waters of Daya Bay and Bohai Bay, China, two previously unknown ciliates were discovered and investigated using standard taxonomic methods. Morphological comparative analyses revealed that they represent two novel species in the genus Chaenea. Chaenea paucistriata spec. nov. can be distinguished from its congeners by the following traits: body length in vivo about 180–250 µm; eight somatic kineties; dorsal brush rows 1–4 consisting of three, five, seven, and two dikinetids, respectively; rod-like extrusomes, 8 µm long; 63–94 macronuclei; cortical granules minute and colourless. Chaenea sinica spec. nov. differs from its congeners in having: body length in vivo about 140–240 µm; 17–21 somatic kineties; dorsal brush rows 1–4 consisting of 3–7, 10 or 11, 11–13, and 3–6 dikinetids, respectively; rod-like extrusomes about 6–8 µm long; 71–164 macronuclei. A key is presented to assist the identification of all Chaenea species.
TL;DR: Four colonial sessile peritrichs discovered during a survey of ciliate diversity of coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, Shandong Province, China were discovered and three were identified as new members of the genera Pseudepistylis and Zoothamnium.