AGGLUTINATED LORICAE OF SOME BALTIC AND ANTARCTIC TINTINNINA SPECIES (CILIOPHORA)

The abundance and species composition of diatoms adhering to the loric ae of four agglutinated Tintinnina species, Laackmanniella naviculaefe ra, Codonellopsis gaussi Cd. balechi and Tintinnopsis lobiancoi, were determined. Diatoms from the Fragilariopsis group, F. cylindrus and F. pseudonana, dominated on tintinnid loricae from the Antarctic waters, whilst Thalassiosira spp. were predominant on loricae from the Baltic Sea. Although tintinnids utilized diatoms in the environment, it is n ot a rule that they use only these which are dominant. Our results sug gest that certain diatoms are actively selected and agglutinated by pa rticular tintinnid species.