Morphology and infraciliature of two new earthworm ciliates, Hoplitophrya polymorphus sp nov and Anoplophrya simplex sp nov (Ciliophora: Oligohymenophorea: Astomatia)

Morphological and infraciliature studies carried out using pyridinated ammoniacal silver carbonate and the 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) staining techniques, led to the identification of two new species of ciliates pertaining to the subclass Astomatia. The first species, Hoplitophryapolymorphus sp. nov., displays two main cellular forms: the elongated form (150-247 pm long and 40-87 tm width) and the stocky form (140-170 tm long and 70-98 pm width). The macro nucleus is generally skinny in the elongated forms and ribbon -shaped in the stocky forms. The common feature of the two cellular shapes uniting them in the same species is the identical structure of their skeletal apparatus, a V-shaped element located in an apical depression and bearing skeletal fibres on its ventral face. The second species, Anoplophrya simplex sp. nov., is totally deprived of skeletal apparatus. The cell shape is fusiform and dorsoventrally flattened (105-180 tm long and 65-125 pm width). Six to 12 pulsatile vacuoles form two rows arranged symmetrically on either side of the macronucleus. These two newly identified species highlight the extremely rich diversity of ciliates inhabiting the digestive tract of tropical earthworms.