PREY INDUCED TRANSFORMATION OF MIAMIENSIS-AVIDUS STRAIN MA 2 BY A SOLUBLE FACTOR/

Miamiensis avidus Ma/2 is a marine polymorphic scuticociliate. Eight s trains of philasterine scuticociliates, currently in culture at the Am erican Type Culture Collection (ATCC), were shown to produce a soluble factor that induces macrostomy in Ma/2: Miamiensis avidus (Ma and Ma/ 2), Paranophrys sp. (1-1), Parauronema acutum (110-3), Anophryoides so ldoi (116-1), Anophryoides sp. (33-8), Metanophrys sp. (113-8), and Pa ranophrys sp. (34-7). Of the strains tested, Paranophrys strain 1-1 sh owed the highest induction of transformation, although all eight strai ns showed statistically significant induction.