Rediscovery and redescription of the marine peritrichous ciliate Epicarchesium abrae (Precht, 1935) nov comb. (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Peritrichia)

The morphology, infraciliature and silverline system of the marine peritrichous ciliate, Epicarchesium abrae (Precht, 1935) nov. comb., isolated from an abalone-farming pond off the coast of Qingdao, China, are investigated. E abrae is characterized by: size of zooid in vivo 68 mum x 48 mum on average; macronucleus usually J-shaped; one dorsally-located contractile-vacuole; colony regularly dichotomously branched with 4-16 zooids; total number of transverse silverlines 62-72, from peristome to aboral ciliary wreath 41-47, from aboral ciliary wreath to scopula 21-25; outer kinety of peniculus 3 prolonged and converges with peniculus 1. (C) 2004 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.