3 NEW SPECIES OF CILIATED PROTOZOA FROM THE HINDGUT OF BOTH WHITE ANDBLACK WILD AFRICAN RHINOCEROSES

This report deals with the effect of the mode of feeding of the hindgu t-fermenting herbivorous rhinoceros on the species of Protozoa ferment ing the ingesta, as demonstrated by the proposed three new species of ciliated Protozoa: Didesmis synciliata differing from D. ovalis in hav ing syncilia in place of simple cilia, Blepharoconus dicerotos being t wice the size of B. cervicalis, and Blepharosphaera ceratotherii being one third the size of B. intestinalis. The findings are in line with the biological tenet that in herbivores the composition of the diet is the major factor determining the composition of the digestive organis ms.