First record of Cycloposthium edentatum Strelkow, 1928 from the black-striped wallaby, Macropus dorsalis

The cycloposthiid ciliate Cycloposthium edentatum Strelkow 1928 is redescri bed from the stomach content of the black-striped wallaby, Macropus dorsali s (Cray) following protargol staining and light and electron microscopy. Th is is the first record of a cycloposthiid ciliate occurring in a marsupial, as all previous records have been restricted to eutherian herbivores, espe cially equids. C. edentatum was found in 7 (39%) of IS black-striped wallab ies examined, but not in any of 263 animals belonging to another 20 macropo did species examined. C. edentatum is distinguished by the form of the macr onucleus, the presence of a longitudinal pellicular groove, a broad posteri or tail and pellicular patterning. C. edentatum specimens recovered from M, dorsalis were smaller than those reported from horses, being up to 50% sho rter and 42% thinner.