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Acta Protozool 2019 May 11;57(3):195-214. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

Molecular phylogenies of Oligotrichea currently do not contain all genera and families and display topologies which are often incongruent with morphological findings. In ciliates, the somatic kinetids are rather conserved, i.e. Read More

Acta Protozool 2019 May 11;57(3):169-193. Epub 2019 Jan 11.

Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

The first transmission and scanning electron microscopical studies in combination with freeze-fracture technology have disclosed some important morphological and ultrastructural features in the freshwater oligotrichid . (I) The dikinetids (paired basal bodies) of the girdle kinety have a club-shaped cilium associated only with each left basal body. The electron-dense (paraflagellar) body on one side of its "9×2+2"-axoneme and the regular array of intramembranous particles indicate a sensory, perhaps photoreceptor function of these club-shaped cilia. Read More

Acta Protozool 2019 May 14;57(2):95-106. Epub 2018 Dec 14.

Department of Ecology, University of Kaiserslautern, Kaiserslautern, Germany.

We isolated an encysted ciliate from a geothermal field in Iceland. The morphological features of this isolate fit the descriptions of Kahl, 1926) Jankowski, 1964 very well. These comprise body shape and size in vivo, the number of somatic kineties, and the positions of macronucleus and contractile vacuole. Read More

Acta Protozool 2012 Jun;51(1):1-19

Department of Organismic Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

Tintinnids (Ciliophora: Spirotricha: Tintinnina) are occasionally the dominant ciliates in the marine plankton. The tintinnid loricae are minute artworks fascinating scientists for more than 230 years, but their chemical composition remained unclear, viz., chitinous or proteinaceous substances were discussed. Read More

Acta Protozool 2010 Nov;49(3):213-234

Department of Organismic Biology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

Tintinnopsis parvulaJörgensen, 1912 has apparently a cosmopolitan distribution in the pelagial of marine and brackish coastal waters. The species is redescribed based on material from the Irish Sea off the Isle of Man, using live observation, protargol impregnation, and scanning electron microscopy. The agglomerated and stiff lorica measures 38-60 × 24-31 μm and is composed of a usually broadly obovate bowl and a slightly narrowed cylindroidal collar with an inner diameter of ~ 20 μm. Read More

Acta Protozool 2010 Nov;49(3):159-193

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Bromeliothrix metopoides was discovered in tank bromeliads from Central and South America. Pure cultures could be established in various media stimulating growth of its food, i.e. Read More

Acta Protozool 2010 Jan;48(4):291-319

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Using standard methods, we studied the morphology and 18S rDNA sequence of some peritrich ciliates from tank bromeliads of Costa Rica, Jamaica, and Ecuador. The new genus Orborhabdostyla differs from Rhabdostyla by the discoidal macronucleus. Two species from the literature and a new species from Ecuadoran tank bromeliads are combined with the new genus: O. Read More

Acta Protozool 2009 Nov;48(3):223-243

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Maryna umbrellata (Gelei, 1950) Foissner, 1993 is a colpodid ciliate common in ephemeral water bodies. Pure cultures were established and the resting cyst studied by light and electron microscopy, protease digestion of thin sections, and various cytochemical reactions shown by colour micrographs. The cyst of M. Read More

Acta Protozool 2009 Jan;47(3):231-246

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

The genera Coriplites Foissner, 1988 and Apocoriplites nov. gen., which differ by the number of dorsal brush rows (3 vs. Read More

Acta Protozool 2008 Apr;47(1):1-33

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Neokeronopsis (Afrokeronopsis) aurea nov. subgen., nov. Read More

Acta Protozool 2008 ;47(3):211-230

Universität Salzburg, FB organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

We studied the morphology of four new dileptid ciliates, using standard methods. Dileptus microstoma, which was discovered in Benin (Africa), is outstanding in having a very small oral opening (~4 μm), an interrupted dorsal row of contractile vacuoles, and ampulliform extrusomes. Dileptus semiarmatus, which was discovered in Austria, possesses extrusomes only in the right posterior half of the proboscis and has very widely spaced circumoral and perioral kinetids. Read More

Acta Protozool 2008 ;47(4):317-352

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Six soil samples from natural and cultivated sites of Saudi Arabia were investigated for ciliate diversity, using the non-flooded Petri dish culture method, live observation, and silver impregnation. We identified 135 species, all new for the fauna of Saudi Arabia, of which seven were undescribed: Spathidium alqasabi nov. spec. Read More

Acta Protozool 2007 ;46(3):201-220

Universität Salzburg, FB Organismische Biologie, Salzburg, Austria.

Fifty-six ciliate taxa, including three new species, were found in two soil samples from the Hoge Veluwe National Park in The Netherlands. A literature search showed that The Netherlands, Belgium and Denmark are terra incognita with respect to soil ciliates: only about 100 species have been recorded. Likely, a much greater number, including many undescribed species, can be found on more detailed investigations. Read More

Acta Protozool 2006 ;45(2):137-151

Fachbereich Organismische Biologie, Universität Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria.

Although Tintinnopsis cylindrica Daday, 1887 is apparently widely distributed in the plankton of marine and brackish coastal waters, its ciliary pattern remained unknown. Without detailed knowledge of the cell morphology, however, the proposed synonymies cannot be proved. Hence, the cell and lorica features of T. Read More

Acta Protozool 2004 ;43(3):201-217

University of Salzburg, Institute for Zoology, Salzburg, Austria.

Currently, gene sequence genealogies of the Oligotrichea Bütschli, 1889 comprise only few species. Therefore, a cladistic approach, especially to the Oligotrichida, was made, applying Hennig's method and computer programs. Twenty-three characters were selected and discussed, i. Read More

Acta Protozool 1993 Oct;32(4):229-36

DLR, Institute of Aerospace Medicine, Koln, Germany.

During the 6 min-lasting "free-fall conditions" (4 x 10(-6) g) of the parabolic flight of a sounding rocket Paramecium aurelia cells showed an increase of 7.5 % in their mean swimming velocity. A detailed analysis revealed that the kinetic response was transient: after 3 min the velocity decreased to the speed of the former horizontal swimming at 1 g. Read More

Acta Protozool 1992 ;31(4):185-214

Arbeitsgruppe Zellulare Erregungsphysiologie, Ruhr-Universitat, Bochum, Federal Republic of Germany.

An account is given of approaches to gravireception, terminology mechanisms of responses to gravity as investigated and documented in the literature, and sensorimotor coupling properties in ciliates. Current theories and methods are discussed, and previously published experimental data on graviresponses are reviewed. Read More