HYALOPHYSA BRADBURYAE SP-N, A NEW SPECIES OF APOSTOME CILIATE FROM THE GRASS SHRIMP PALAEMONETES KADIAKENSIS

A new species of apostome ciliate, Hyalophysa bradburyae, sp. n., is d escribed from the freshwater grass shrimp Palaemonetes kadiakensis. Li ke other species within the genus, H. bradburyae is an exuviotrophic a postome ciliate whose life cycle is tied to the ecdysis of its crustac ean host. Hyalophysa bradburyae differs from the other members of the genus, H. chattoni, H. trageri, and H. lwoffi, in details of the cilia ture of the trophont. Specifically, the trophont of H. bradburyae poss esses a divided kinety 1, with the anterior segment of this kinety (K1 a) located between K2a and K2b. Hyalophysa bradburyae was found on all shrimp collected from the Conecuh River and Walnut Creek of the Pea R iver in southern Alabama during this study. In addition to extending t he known range of the genus Hyalophysa to Alabama, this report records the presence of apostome ciliates on the shrimp P. kadiakensis.