• ALGAE
• /
• 제19권3호
• /
• pp.201-205
• /
• 2004

An ectoparasitic din flagellate infesting plank tonic chaetognath, Sagitta crassa Tokioka was found, for the first time, from Korean coasts. In order to identify the species, we investigated detailed morphology of the din flagellate using Nomarski interference optics as well as epifluorescent microscopes. The parasitic din flagellate consists of an oval to rod-shaped cell with a peduncle, by which the organism attaches to the host. The cell is covered with polygonal thecal plates. The nucleus displays two different shapes according to cell cycle stages: in young trophont the nucleus is elongated and shows typical din flagellate nucleus (dinokaryon), while in matured trophont, the nucleus is dome-shaped and non-dinokaryotic. The peduncle is variable in length and is ornamented with the longitudinal striations. All these characteristics point to identity that the ectoparasitic din flagellate infecting Sagitta crassa in Korean coasts is Oodinium inlandicum Horiguchi et Ohtsuka, originally described from the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. Relationship between prevalence and host sizes differed from those in Japan.