New insights and investigation: Morphomolecular notes on the infraciliature, taxonomy, and systematics of pleurostomatid ciliates (Protozoa, Ciliophora), with establishment of a new suborder, two new genera, and three new species.

ABSTRACT: Pleurostomatid ciliates, as a highly diverse and widely distributed unicellular eukaryote group, play a crucial role in the cycling of nutrients and energy in microbial food webs. However, research on pleurostomatids remains insufficient, resulting in a paucity of molecular information and substantial gaps in knowledge of their phylogenetic relationships. In recent years, we investigated pleurostomatid diversity in various Chinese habitats, including their systematic relationships and taxonomic circumscriptions, which were comprehensively analyzed using an integrative morphomolecular approach. Results revealed that: (1) pleurostomatids can be categorized into two suborders, Protolitonotina subord. nov. and Amphileptina Jankowski, 1967; (2) Protolitonotina subord. nov. represe

SUBMITTER: Zhang GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11668957 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature