A REVISION OF CHOANOFLAGELLATE GENERA KENTROSIGA, SCHILLER, 1953 AND DESMARELLA, KENT, 1880

A revision of the choanoflagellate genera Desmarella Kent, 1880 and Ke ntrosiga Schiller, 1953 is presented following a light and electron mi croscopical investigation of the type species of both genera: Desmarel la moniliformis and Kentrosiga thienemanni. It is argued that differen ces between the type species of the two genera represents differences at the species level. The main generic character of Kentrosiga Schille r, 1953, namely, the presence of tentacle like threads at the posterio r end of the cell, is not considered to be a character even at the spe cies level, since most choanoflagellate species illustrate this featur e. On the basis of the data presented we consider the generic name Ken trosiga Schiller, 1953 is invalid as a younger synonym of Desmarella K ent, 1880. A revised list of species attributable to Desmarella Kent, 1880 is also given.