Bromeliothrix metopoides, a boom and bust ciliate (Ciliophora, Colpodea) from tank bromeliads.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the recently described colpodid ciliate Bromeliothrix metopoides in a series of laboratory experiments to reveal the environmental factors that constrain this species to its peculiar habitat, i.e. the tanks of bromeliads. Our results demonstrated that the various life stages of this ciliate (bacterivorous theronts and microstome trophonts, flagellate-feeding macrostomes) have specific demands in terms of food quality and quantity. Bromeliothrix required a high food threshold (>1.4 mg CL(-1)) in order to thrive. Food quality also affected resting cyst formation of B. metopoides when the experimental containers dried out. Its maximum growth rates (μmax=4.71 d(-1), i.e., 6.8 doublings d(-1)) belong to the highest ones recorded thus far for free-living ciliates. The pH niche of

SUBMITTER: Weisse T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3688101 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature