Strombidium aeilberti Song 2005, nov. spec.
Creators: name: Song, Weibo
Publisher: name: Zenodo
Year: 2007
Subjects: Biodiversity
Taxonomy
Protozoa
Ciliophora
Oligotrichea
Strombidiida
Strombidiidae
Strombidium
Strombidium aeilberti

description: Strombidium aeilberti nov. spec.   
(Figures 1, 2; Table I)  
 Diagnosis. Marine Strombidium, about 45–60 X 35–50 mm in υiυo with truncated obconical body shape and conspicuous distended cell surface which covers the posterior half of the cell; buccal cavity extending posteriorly to about one-third of body length; about eight buccal and 15 collar membranelles; girdle kinety completely closed, consisting of ca 60 dikinetids; ventral kinety prominently long with about 30 densely packed dikinetids, extends anteriorly to girdle area; extrusomes about 20 mm long, grouped in rows and arranged anterior to girdle kinety; single globular macronucleus.   
 Ecological characteristics for sampling sites. Sandy coastal area with clean water, salinity was 33, pH about 8.1, water temperature ranged from 5 to 9 ° C.   
 Type deposition. One permanent slide as holotype with protargol-impregnated specimens is deposited in the Laboratory of Protozoology, Ocean University of China, Qingdao.   
 Dedication. I dedicate this species to Prof. Dr Norbert Wilbert (Institute of Zoology, Bonn University, Germany), a well-respected and great German protozoologist, who has made significant contributions to ciliate taxonomy and ecology during the last 30 years.   
 Description. Size mostly about 50 X 40 mm in υiυo. Body shape generally invariable, broadly obconical and circular in cross-section, widest at anterior third of cell length (Figure 1A), while in some individuals body might be slightly asymmetric when viewed dorso-ventrally (Figure 1E). Apical protrusion or collar inconspicuous in υiυo, usually undetectable after fixation (Figure 1F, H). Buccal cavity relatively shallow and inconspicuous, extending posteriorly to about 25–30% of cell length (Figure 1A, E). Ventral groove conspicuous and extending from girdle region to posterior cell end, containing long ventral kinety (Figure 1F). Cilia in collar membranelles about 25–30 mm long, stretching anteriorly when swimming, cilia in buccal membranelles ca 10 mm in length (Figure 1A).   
 Perilemma remarkable, always as conspicuously distended ‘lorica-like’ structure covering the posterior half of live cell (Figure 1A, E), but only about 40% after protargol impregnation where the anterior cell portion is swollen (Figure 1F). No cortical platelets recognizable either in υiυo or in silvered specimens. Extrusome girdle conspicuous, extrusomes about 20 mm long, bar-like and regularly grouped (each group with about six extrusomes), which are closely spaced anterior to the girdle kinety (Figure 2C). Outer ends of extrusomes arranged in oblique rows (anchored obliquely beneath pellicle), which make cell surface granulated and slightly punctated (Figure 1B).   
 Cytoplasm basically colourless to slightly greyish, containing numerous light-reflecting, lipid-like granules (ca 2–5 mm in diameter) and food vacuoles containing diatoms, flagellates etc., which often render cells rather opaque or even completely dark when observed at lower magnifications (Figure 1E). Macronucleus about 15–20 mm across, spherical in shape and centrally located, usually contains many large roundish nucleoli as demonstrated after impregnation (Figure 1F); no micronucleus recognized.   
Locomotion very fast and changing direction frequently, never stops swimming (Figure 1C). This organism seems fragile for it readily bursts especially when a cover glass is used for observing under the microscope.  
Buccal apparatus typical of genus, consisting of 14–16 collar membranelles (CM), eight buccal membranelles (BM) and one single-rowed paroral membrane (Figure 1D). Bases of CM about 10 mm long, each composed of three equal-length basal body rows (Figure 2A, D: arrowheads); BM being continuous with CM, similar to CM in structure but shorter in length of bases (about 5–7 mm) (Figure 2A: arrow), which invaginate ventrally into centre of cell. Paroral membrane (PM) along right border of buccal cavity with densely packed kinetosomes. Pharyngeal fibres up to 20 mm long after protargol impregnation (Figure 1D).  
Somatic ciliature as shown in Figure 1F, G. Girdle kinety (GK) completely closed and posterior to extrusome girdle (Figure 2E, F), composed of approximately 60 dikinetids (Figure 1F). Ventral kinety (VK) conspicuously long, with about 30 densely spaced dikinetids in shallow groove, commencing underneath girdle kinety on ventral side and extending across posterior pole to dorsal side (Figure 1F, G).
description: Published as part of Song, Weibo, 2005, Taxonomic description of two new marine oligotrichous ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora), pp. 241-252 in Journal of Natural History 39 (3) on pages 242-247, DOI: 10.1080/0022293042000195966, http://zenodo.org/record/4581296