A COMPARISON OF 3 POPULATIONS OF THE CILIATE GENUS, PARACICHLIDOTHERUS GRIM 1992 - NEW FISH HOSTS, AND BIOGEOGRAPHY - REVISED GENUS DESCRIPTION

Two populations of Paracichlidotherus (Ciliophora, Nyctotheridae) were collected from the intestines of the Surgeon-fishes, Zebrasoma flaves cens, and Acanthurus nigricans, from waters around the island of Guam. They were examined after Protargol staining and compared with the typ e population for 14 morphological characters. Right and left posterior short kinetal rows of very close kinetosomes and apparently fused cil ia are described based on light microscopy and scanning electron micro scopy. They often appear to be part of a second posterior suture syste m on each side. From transmission electron microscopic studies, kineti d structures of somatic dikinetids are described and compared for norm al and fused cilia. They are similar, but in the latter, a fibril conn ects adjacent dikinetids. The buccal overture is V shaped at its poste rior aspect. The genus is described more fully based on these characte ristics.