• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.301-320
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• 2021

During a field survey of indigenous Korean ciliates, we collected 21 unrecorded species from aquatic (freshwater and brackish water [salinity about 1.0‰] samples) and terrestrial(moss and soil samples) habitats. The morphology of these species was studied based on live observation, protargol, silver carbonate and silver nitrate impregnation, and scanning electron microscope. These species belong to seven classes as follows: 1) class Heterotrichea - Blepharisma seculum; 2) class Spirotrichea - Birojimia terricola, Bistichella variabilis, Deviata bacilliformis, Oxytricha paragranulifera, Parabistichella cf. variabilis, Steinia sphagnicola, Stichotricha aculeata, Stylonychia cf. notophora, and Tetmemena bifaria minima; 3) class Armophorea - Metopus es; 4) class Litostomatea - Acropisthium mutabile, Pseudomonilicaryon japonicum, and Rimaleptus alpinus; 5) class Phyllopharyngea - Podophrya bivacuolata; 6) class Nassophorea - Drepanomonas pauciciliata; and 7) class Oligohymenophorea - Dexiostoma campylum, Frontonia atra, Histiobalantium natans viridis, Opisthonecta minima, and Tetrahymena rostrata. Here, we provide a brief diagnosis and remark for each species.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.37-49
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• 2018

Two hypotrich ciliates, Australocirrus shii (Shi et al., 1997) Kumar & Foissner, 2015 and Afrokeronopsis aurea (Foissner & Stoeck, 2008) Foissner et al., 2010 isolated from freshwater habitats in Korea and were studied based on the specimens from live and after protargol impregnation. Australocirrus shii is redescribed based on morphology and 18S rRNA gene sequence, whereas Af. aurea is the first record for Korea. Main morphological features of the Korean population of Au. shii are as following: body size $100-200{\times}40-80{\mu}m$ in vivo; elongate to ellipsoidal or slightly elongate obovate, dorsoventrally flattened; transverse cirri arranged in (3+2) pattern, anterior pretransverse ventral cirrus distantly anterior of the first transverse cirrus; eight or nine dorsal kineties; and three caudal cirri. Main morphological features of the Korean population of Af. aurea are as following: body size $230-375{\times}70-145{\mu}m$ in vivo; shape elongate obovate or ellipsoidal, widest at the mid-body; undulating membranes in Australocirrus pattern with a buccal depression; and three caudal cirri. The Korean population of A. shii is similar in morphology with previous descriptions except for the presence of indentation at the posterior end in the Korean population. The Korean population of A. aurea is slightly shorter than the South African population and has slightly less marginal and mid-ventral cirri. The phylogenetic analysis of present two Korean hypotrichs and relevant species based on 18S rRNA gene sequences generated almost similar tree topologies compared with previous studies.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.220-227
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• 2011

The morphology of the two marine urostyloid ciliates, Pseudokeronopsis carnea (Cohn, 1866) and Uroleptopsis citrina Kahl, 1932, in the family Pseudokeronopsidae, collected from the Yellow Sea, and the East Sea, Korea, respectively, were studied using live observation and protargol impregnation. Additionally, the small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene was sequenced. These two species are firstly recorded in Korea. The main diagnostic key is as follows. Pseudokeronopsis carnea: body outline elongate-elliptical, brown-reddish or orange-red in colour in vivo; bicorona of 16-24 frontal cirri; one buccal and two frontoterminal cirri; 7-10 transverse cirri; 5-7 dorsal kineties; two types of cortical granules (one orange-red pigment, mainly grouped around cirri and dorsal bristles, arranged in typical rubra-pattern; the other, colourless and blood-cell-shaped, and densely distributed); contractile vacuole in the posterior half of the cell on the left side, usually in posterior 1/3-2/5. Uroleptopsis citrina: body outline elongate-elliptical, lemon-yellow in colour in vivo; two types of cortical granules (one yellow pigment; the other, blood-cell-shaped, densely distributed); bicorona of 12-18 frontal cirri; 2-3 frontoterminal cirri; two midventral rows comprising 26-35 cirri (consisting of anterior paired cirri, non-paired single cirri, and posterior paired cirri); three dorsal kineties. In addition, the SSU rRNA sequences of the two species were compared with public database of these species and consequently, showed high similarity.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.191-197
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• 2008

Specimens of Diophrys appendiculata (Ehrenberg, ] 838) and D. scutum (Dujardin, 1841) have been collected from the coastal and brackish waters around near Ulsan, during 2004-2007. Diophrys appendiculata and D. scutum are described taxonomically for the first time in Korea. Diagnostic characteristics of these species are as follows. Diophrys appendiculata: size in vivo $43-68{\times}25-50{\mu}m$, adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) covering 43-74% of cell length in impregnated and 46-65% in vivo specimens with 32-47 adoral membranelles (AM). Paroral membrane is slightly curved. Four to five dorsal kinetal (DK) rows are fragmented and anterior and posterior parts of rows densely ciliated. Two macronuclear nodules (Ma) irregular and elongated oval in shape and widely separated. D. scutum: size in vivo $125-225{\times}75-140{\mu}m$, AZM extending to the middle of right border of body and covering 50-60% of cell length with 56-75 AMs. Body shape is typically ovoid with prominent concave margin at right posterio-lateral end, and rather thick and wide longitudinal ridge along lower buccal cavity on ventral side. Two macronuclei shaped like a sausage. five to six dorsal kineties.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

Two Spirostomum species collected from freshwater in Korea were identified as S. caudatum (Muller, 1786) and S. teres (Claparede and Lachmann, 1858). They are recorded for the first time in Korea. The description was based on the observation of living specimens and protargol impregnated specimens. Diagnostics of these species are as follows. Spirostomum caudatum: body size $400-450{\times}20-30\;{\mu}m$ in vivo, shaped long and slender with a tapered posterior part, highly contractile; macronucleus ellipsoid; adoral zone of membranelles occupied 30% of body length; somatic kineties 14-22 in number. Spirostomum teres: body size $240-460{\times}25-40\;{\mu}m$ in vivo, shaped long and slender with a flattened posterior end, highly contractile; cortical granules arranged in 2-3 rows; adoral zone of membranelles occupied 50% of body length; somatic kineties 20-30 in number; macronucleus ellipsoid; micronuclei 2-3 in number. Spirostomum caudatum and S. teres are the most similar congeners, but they are different in the posterior part of body (tail-like posterior part vs. flattened posterior end), length of adoral zone of membranelles in body length (1/3 vs. 1/2), and the number of somatic kineties (14-22 vs. 20-30). These populations match with European populations in morphological characters.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• no.spc9
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Two Spirostomum species were collected from freshwater in Jindo Island, Korea and identified as Spirostomum ambiguum (Muller, 1786) Ehrenberg, 1835 and Spirostomum minus Roux, 1901. This study is the first known morphological record of these two species being found in Korea. The description is based on the observation of living specimens and protargol impregnated specimens. Diagnostics of Spirostomum ambiguum: body size $340-930{\times}45-80{\mu}m$ in vivo; long and slender body with truncated posterior part; macronucleus moniliform with 7-22 nodules; cortical granules irregularly arranged 4-5 rows in between somatic kineties; 24-58 somatic kineties arranged longitudinally; adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) covered about 60-80% of body length. Diagnostics of Spirostomum minus: body size $500-730{\times}35-45{\mu}m$ in vivo; long and slender body with truncated posterior part; macronucleus moniliform with 11-16 nodules; micronucleus 20-37 oval shape; cortical granules regularly arranged 3-4 rows in between somatic kineties; 20-30 somatic kineties arranged longitudinally; AZM covered about 40-50% of body length with 120-150 adoral membranelles.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2006

Two ciliates of suborder Euplotina collected from the two habitats (estuarine littoral and sewage treatment plant) in Ulsan, Korea were Euplotes charon ($M\ddot{u}ller$, 1773) and Diophrys oligothrix Borror, 1965. These two species are reported for the first time from Korea. The description was based on the observation of living and silver impregnated specimens. Diagnostic characteristics of these species are as follows. E. charon: size in vivo about $90-130\times65-80{\mu}m$, adoral zone of membranelles over 79.5% of cell length with 54-80 adoral membranelles; right margin of the peristome shaped sinusoidal form and passed through adoral zone of membranelles; buccal cavity wide anteriorly; 10 frontoventral, 5 transverse, 4 caudal cirri, 12 dorsal kineties, mid-dorsal kinety with 21 -25 dorsal bristles; silver-line system double-eurystomus type. D. oligothrix: size in vivo about $80-90\times30-70{\mu}m$; body shape ovoid with prominent right concave posterio-lateral end, two irregular elongated macronuclei with one micronucleus, respectively; 7 fronto-ventral, 5 transverse, 2 left marginal and 2 caudal cirri, 4 dorsal kineties with prominent bristles about $9-14{\mu}m$ long in vivo.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.294-301
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• 2024

The genus Notoplax is characterized by a fleshy girdle with shiny, hairy needles and a tegmentum of intermediate valves that extend greatly forward with a very narrow jugum. To date, 41 species of Notoplax have been recorded worldwide; however, relatively little is known about this genus in Korea, with only a single species. Notoplax kaasi previously reported. Here, we first report N. odysseyi Sirenko & Saito, 2017, which is the second Notoplax species from South Korea. N. odysseyi is a medium-sized chiton species distinguished from other congeneric species by a highly expanded, thick, hairy girdle, with inter-valve areas that are completely eroded. In addition, detailed microstructures of the shell and radula characters of N. odysseyi were described using scanning electron microscopy, providing valuable taxonomic information for the species identification of N. odysseyi. To confirm the species identification based on morphological data, we also performed a molecular phylogenetic analysis based on partial COI nucleotide sequences (550 bp) of 18 Acanthochitonidae. The resulting maximum-likelihood tree showed that N. odysseyi and N. conica formed a monophyletic group, which clustered with Leptoplax doederleini.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.301-308
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• 2009

Three Loxodes ciliates collected from estuarine littoral, wetland and small pond in Korea, were identified as Loxodes kahli Dragesco and Njin$acute{e}$, 1971, L. magnus Stokes, 1887 and L. vorax Stokes, 1885. The descriptions for these species based on living and protargol impregnated specimens were given. Morphometry, illustrations and microphotographs were also provided. Diagnoses of three species are as follows. Loxodes kahli; size in vivo $160-300{\times}40-70\;{\mu}m$; oral area with reddish to brownish pigments; 6-11 macronuclei arranged linearly; 5-9 micronuclei located near macronuclei; 4-12 M$\ddot{u}$ller's vesicles; somatic kineties on right 18-20 and left 2 in number. L. magnus: size in vivo $250-470{\times}87-15\;{\mu}m$; body colored dark brown; 5-13 macronuclei; 8-13 micronuclei; 8-18 M$\ddot{u}$ller's vesicles; somatic kineties on right 23-26 and left 2 in number. L. vorax: size in vivo $70-160{\times}20-35\;{\mu}m$; oral area with brownish pigments; 2 macronuclei; 1 micronucleus located between macronuclei; 2-4 M$\ddot{u}$ller's vesicles; somatic kineties on right 18-20 and left 2 in number.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.81-88
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• 2008

Two oxytrichid ciliates collected from the mosses and estuarine littoral in Korea were identified as Oxytricha longigranulosa Berger and Foissner, 1989 and O. marina Kahl, 1932. These species are reported for the first time from Korea. The description was based on living and protargol impregnated specimens. Diagnostic characters for each species are as follows. Oxytricha longigranulosa: Cell in vivo $80-115{\times}30-50{\mu}m$, mostly $90{\times}40{\mu}m$. Length/width ratio about 2.4/1. Cortical granules about $1{\times}1.5{\mu}m$ in size, colorless, arranged in short and discontinued longitudinal rows. Four frontoventral cirri. Adoral zone of membrane lies (AZM) covering 30-50% of cell length with 25-27 adoral membranelles (AM). Buccal area flat, typical Oxytricha pattern. Five transverse cirri, 19-23 right marginal cirri, 19-24 left marginal cirri, three caudal cirri, five dorsal kineties. Two macronuclear nodules 2 in number and spherical in shape, two micronuclei in number. Oxytricha marina: Cell in vivo $100-150{\times}30-60{\mu}m$. Cytoplasm colorless without cortical granules. Four frontoventral cirri. AZM covering 50% of cell length with 28-44 AMs, Buccal area flat, typical Oxytricha pattern. Five transverse cirri, 23-38 right marginal cirri, 19-25 left marginal cirri, three caudal cirri, five dorsal kineties. Two macronuclear nodules and spherical in shape, 1-5 micronuclei, mostly two in number.