The epibiotic life of the cosmopolitan diatom Fragilariopsis doliolus on heterotrophic ciliates in the open ocean.

ABSTRACT: Diatoms are a diverse and ecologically important group of phytoplankton. Although most species are considered free living, several are known to interact with other organisms within the plankton. Detailed imaging and molecular characterization of any such partnership is, however, limited, and an appraisal of the large-scale distribution and ecology of such consortia was never attempted. Here, observation of Tara Oceans samples from the Benguela Current led to the detection of an epibiotic association between a pennate diatom and a tintinnid ciliate. We identified the diatom as Fragilariopsis doliolus that possesses a unique feature to form barrel-shaped chains, associated with seven different genera of tintinnids including five previously undescribed associations. The organisms were commonl

SUBMITTER: Vincent FJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5864193 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature