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Showing papers in "Acta Protozoologica in 2021"





Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: About 15 species of trichostome ciliates from 9 different genera were found in the samples collected from wild zebras in Western Cape, South Africa; some of the ciliate species are also common to horses and other equids, while others are unique forZebras.
Abstract: This paper is a first report on species of endosymbiotic ciliates (Litostomatea, Trichostomatia) inhabiting the intestine of zebras in South Africa. Ciliates from Mountain Zebra were investigated for the first time in the world. The wild population of mountain zebras in general and the Cape Mountain Zebra subspecies in particular is low in numbers: this species is included as vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. Approximately 15 species of trichostome ciliates from 9 different genera were found in the samples collected from wild zebras in Western Cape, South Africa. Some of the ciliate species are also common to horses and other equids, while others are unique for zebras. The ciliates of Triplumaria genus common to elephants and rhinoceroses, and the species Blepharosphaera ceratotherii previously described in rhinoceroses were found in equids for the first time.

1 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Review of included formally and informally described species shows that they are a distinctive group with shared characters, including ten different morphotypes of probable species level, including two of these, including the type species A. fragaria, have been shown to form life-cycle associations with heterococcoliths of the Syracosphaera molischii type.
Abstract: The genus Anthosphaera Kamptner emend. Kleijne is one of the most taxonomically confusing modern coccolithophores and its species level taxonomy has long been in a state of flux. Based on the review of imaged specimens from our collections, we attempt to rectify the nomenclatural problems and elucidate the obfuscated taxonomy of the genus. Review of included formally and informally described species shows that they are a distinctive group with shared characters, including ten different morphotypes of probable species level. Two of these, including the type species A. fragaria, have been shown to form life-cycle associations with heterococcoliths of the Syracosphaera molischii type. Hence, all species are transferred to Syracosphaera and the new combinations S. periperforata, S. lafourcadii, and S. origami are proposed. In addition, various informally described morphotypes are now formally described as Syracosphaera molischii var. pertusa, S. periperforata var. cylindrata, S. periperforata var. tridentata, S. rotaconica, and S. elevata. urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:0E5D4BD7-BC3B-4D30-B319-964AC887DDDE

1 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is suggested that a temporary formation of cytoplasmic microtubules may be involved in cell globulation, and Lepidosomes, the sticky small globes surrounding encysting cells, were vividly stained with Acti-stain 555 phalloidin, suggesting that 43-kDa actin or its homologues may be contained in lepidosomes.
Abstract: Assays of protein contained in water-soluble fraction of encysting cells Colpoda cucullus Nag-1 by two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-D PAGE) and mass spectrometry (MS) revealed that the amount of β-tubulin abruptly increased in 2.5–10 h after encystment induction. Judging from the results that total α-tubulin content did not decrease much until 12 h after encystment induction, the result indicates that disassembly of microtubules may occur soon after encystment is induced. Therefore, we tried to visualize dynamics of microtubules. Immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-α-tubulin antibody indicated that disassembly of axonemal microtubules of cilia became within 1.5 h after encystment induction, and resorbed in 3 days. Although the cytoplasmic microtubules failed to be visualized clearly, encystmentdependent globulation of cells was promoted by taxol, an inhibitor of disassembly of microtubules. It is possible that a temporary formation of cytoplasmic microtubules may be involved in cell globulation. The phosphorylation level of actin (43 kDa) became slightly elevated just after encystment induction. Lepidosomes, the sticky small globes surrounding encysting cells, were vividly stained with Acti-stain 555 phalloidin, suggesting that 43-kDa actin or its homologues may be contained in lepidosomes.

1 citations