6 NEW CILIATED PROTOZOAN SPECIES OF TRICHOSTOMATIDA, ENTODINIOMORPHIDA AND SUCTORIDA FROM THE INTESTINE OF WILD AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES

A survey of ciliated protozoan endocommensals of both black and white wild African rhinoceroses revealed six new species from the caecum and colon in concentrations of 2x10(3) - 5x10(4)/ml digesta fluid. Two un iformly somatically ciliated species of Trichostomatida, Helicozoster africanus with an external ciliated peristomal trough spiralling the e ntire body-length, was found in both black and white rhinoceroses; whi le H. apicalis with an external ciliated peristomal through spiralling half body - lenght, was found in white rhinoceroses only. Three speci es of Entodiniomorphida were found in white rhinoceroses only. These w ere Rhinozeta pedale with a foot-like posterior end of the body; Tripl umaria corrugare with a corrugated triangular posterior terminal tail, and Lavierella klipdrifi with a distinctive club-shaped body. One adu lt species of Suctorida was present in both black and white rhinoceros es, Allantosoma multisuctores distinguishable by its numerous ingestor y suctorial tentacles scattered uniformly over its entire body. Counts of the total endocommensals stressed the possible role of the colon i n the fermentation of the hosts's diet by these Protozoa. In all, nine protozoan families have been demonstrated to be associated with ferme ntation of the digesta by the nine species of hindgut-fermenting mamma ls thus far examined by various workers in morphological studies.