A further study on littoral ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora) near King George Island, Antarctica, with description of a new genus and seven new species Author Wilbert, Norbert Author Song, Weibo text Journal of Natural History 2008 2008-04-30 42 13 - 14 979 1012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930701877540 journal article 10.1080/00222930701877540 1464-5262 5219160 Holosticha antarctica nov. spec. ( Figures 2A–H , 11A–M ; Table 2 ) Diagnosis Band-like, flexible marine Holosticha about 300–500×80 Mm in vivo with brownreddish colour; ca. 70 adoral membranelles extending to about 25–30% of cell length; 70–80 left and 60–70 right marginal cirri; about 40 pairs of cirri in midventral rows which terminate at the transverse cirri; about five frontal, one buccal, 3–6 frontoterminal and 5–8 transverse cirri; consistently three dorsal kineties; more than 100 macronuclear nodules. Table 2. Morphometric characterization of Holosticha antarctica nov. spec. All data are based on protargol impregnated specimens.

Character	Min	Max	Mean	SD	SE	CV	n
Body length in Mm	348	464	407.7	29.3	7.32	7.2	16
Body width in Mm	89	106	96.8	4.71	1.18	4.9	16
Length of buccal field	96	128	111.9	8.81	2.20	7.9	16
Number of adoral membranelles	65	70	–	–	–	–	5
Number of frontal cirri	4	6	4.6	0.99	0.29	21.7	12
Number of frontoterminal cirri	3	6	4.8	1.03	0.30	21.3	12
Number of buccal cirri	1	1	1	0	0	0	16
Number of cirral pairs in midventral rows 39		44	–	–	–	–	5
Number of transverse cirri	5	8	6.3	0.89	0.26	14.0	12
Number of cirri in left marginal row	c.70	c.80	–	–	–	–	3
Number of cirri in right marginal row	c.60	c.70	–	–	–	–	3
Number of dorsal kineties	3	4	3.2	0.39	0.11	11.2	12
Number of macronuclear nodules	.100	–	–	–	–	–	16

Abbreviations: CV5coefficient of variation in %, Max5maximum, Mean5arithmetic mean, Min5minimum, n5number of specimens investigated, SD5standard deviation, SE5standard error of the mean. Type locality Benthos samples from rockpools and the littoral zone on the sea coast near Bellinghausen Station, King George Island (62 ° 139S, 58 ° 589W). Description Size mostly about 400 Mm long, body like a long band with parallel body margins, very flexible but not contractile ( Figure 2E ). Buccal field prominent, about 30% of cell length. Dorsoventrally flattened, cell in central portion often conspicuously thicker than at the margins ( Figure 2A ). Pellicle thin, no cortical granules observed although cytoplasm evenly dark brownish or brick-reddish in colour as observed under low magnification. Cytoplasm with many tiny granules and lipid droplets; contractile vacuole not observed ( Figure 2A ). More than 100 macronuclear nodules scattered throughout the cell, spherical to ellipsoid, often several large, ellipsoid micronuclei recognized in protargol-impregnated specimens. Cilia in all ciliary organelles relatively inconspicuous and fine. Movement without pause, usually in a snake-like way, crawling medium or fast on bottom of Petri dish or debris. Adoral zone extending far onto right side. Membranelles in proximal part conspicuously (up to five times!) longer than those in distal portion ( Figure 2D ). Paroral membrane (PM) about half as long as the endoral (EM), both straight or slightly curved, optically appearing to intersect ( Figure 2D ). One buccal cirrus (BC) at anterior paroral level ( Figure 2D ). About five frontal cirri (FC), which are often not clearly distinguished from the midventral cirri posteriorly although the anteriormost (usually 3–4) cirri are conspicuously enlarged ( Figures 2D , 11D, G ). Frontoterminal cirri (FTC) mostly 5–6, near the distal end of adoral zone ( Figure 2D ). Midventral rows (MVR) in typical zigzag pattern, terminating near transverse cirri (TC, Figures 2F–H ). 5–8 transverse cirri slightly enlarged and closely arranged in J-shape, which are often difficult to separate from the marginal rows ( Figures 2F–H ; 11I, L, M ). Marginal rows not confluent posteriorly. Dorsal kineties (DK) consistently three in number, densely ciliated, bearing 3.5–5.0 Mm long bristles ( Figures 2B , 11H ); without caudal cirri. Remarks Due to the combination of long band-shaped body, very flexible ( Figures 2E ) extremely large size, conspicuously long buccal field, brownish to brick-reddish colour, marine habitat and features of infraciliature, the new species can be clearly distinguished. The detailed ciliary structure of Holosticha fasciola Kahl, 1932 evidently remains unknown, but it seems similar to our new one at the level of live morphology. The former can be identified, however, by remarkable cortical granules, conspicuously shorter buccal field (likely,1/6 of cell length) and relatively smaller size (200–300 Mm versus 300–500 Mm) ( Kahl 1932 ).