Integrative Studies on the Morphology, Morphogenesis and Molecular Phylogeny of a Soil Ciliate, Parakahliella macrostoma (Foissner, 1982) Berger et al., 1985 (Ciliophora, Hypotrichia)

The morphology and morphogenesis of two populations of the soil hypotrichous ciliate, Parakahliella macrostoma (Foissner, 1982) Berger et al. 1985, isolated from northwest China, were investigated based on specimens examined in vivo and stained with protargol. Our populations resemble the original one in terms of their live characters and cirral pattern. The main events during binary fission are as follows: (1) the parental adoral zone of membranelles is retained completely by the proter; (2) both in the proter and in the opisthe five frontal-ventral cirral anlagen are recognizable; (3) the marginal rows and dorsal kineties develop intrakinetally. In addition, the SSU rRNA gene was sequenced for the genus Parakahliella for the first time. Molecular phylogenetic analyses suggest that two populations of the genus Parakahliella cluster together and have a close relationship with species of Oxytrichidae.