Taxonomy of Three Oxytrichids (Protozoa, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia), With Establishment of the New Species Rubrioxytricha guangzhouensis spec. nov.

Two oxytrichid ciliates collected from China, Oxytricha lithofera Foissner, 2016 and Rubrioxytricha haematoplasma (Blatterer 1990) Berger, 1999 were investigated based on living observations, protargol preparations, molecular analyses. The Chinese population of O. shares highly distinctive features with the type population, e.g., lithosomes, abutting macronuclear nodules, straight undulating membranes, long dorsal bristles. morphology morphogenesis our new isolate R. corresponds well population. 18S rRNA gene sequences both species obtained, phylogeny genera Bory de Saint-Vincent in Lamouroux et al., 1824 was analyzed. In addition, we found that Guangzhou described by Chen al. (2015) can be distinguished reddish-brown cortical granules (vs. lemon yellowish to greenish) mitochondria-like present absent), as slightly red cytoplasm orange) marine or brackish water habitat freshwater). a 20-bp divergence their indicates they are not conspecific. Thus, establish species, guangzhouensis , for sensu .