Three Freshwater Lembadion Ciliates (Peniculida,Lembadionidae) Newly Reported from Korea

Abstract

Three freshwater ciliates, Lembadion lucens (Maskell, 1887) Kahl, 1931, L. bullinum (Müller, 1786) Perty, 1849, and L. magnum (Stokes, 1887) Kahl, 1931, belonging to the genus Lembadion Perty, 1849 are newly reported from Korea with detailed descriptions and illustrations based on live observation and protargol impregnation. Lembadion lucens is characterized by following characteristics: 52-91 × 33-64 μm body size in vivo; ovoid and slightly asymmetric body shape; 27-49 somatic kineties; and 55-80% of whole pellicle covered with meridional lines with rectangular meshes in posterior portion. Lembadion bullinum is distinguishable from its congeners by its body size of 110-130 × 60-73 μm in vivo; ovoid body shape; oral aperture occupying about four-fifths of ventral side; 48-55 somatic ciliary rows; meridional lines with rectangular meshes except anterior portion (about 16% of body) on pellicle. Lembadion magnum is also characterized by its body size of 70-90 × 37-50 μm in vivo; obliquely asymmetric anterior end of body; oral aperture occupying about more than four-fifths of ventral surface, and opened longitudinally entire ventral surface; 45-61 somatic ciliary rows; meridional lines without rectangular meshes on whole pellicle of body. The present study is the first description of the genus Lembadion from Korea.