Centrohelid heliozoa (Chromista, Hacrobia) of Southern Cis-Ural region

• Published in: Biology bulletin of the Russian Academy of Sciences 2015-12, Vol.42 (8), p.683-695
• Main Authors: Plotnikov, A. O, Ermolenko, E. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Cell Biology; Ecology; fauna; Life Sciences; new species; salinity; species diversity; surface water; Zoology
• ISSN: 1062-3590; 1608-3059
• DOI: 10.1134/S1062359015080063

The species composition, morphology and distribution of centrohelid heliozoa from water bodies of various hydrologic types with different salinity in the Southern Cis-Ural region was studied. Thirteen centrohelid species of the families Heterophryidae, Raphidiophryidae, and Acanthocystidae were found in territory of Orenburg region and the Republic of Bashkortostan. The species composition of centrohelid heliozoa within the Republic of Bashkortostan was studied for the first time; it includes the following species: Polyplacocystis ambigua, Raineriophrys erinaceoides, Acanthocystis pectinata, A. polymorpha, A. myriospina, A. turfacea, and A. olgashelestae. Seven new species (Heterophrys marina, Polyplacocystis coerulea, Raphidocystis tubifera, Heteroraphidiophrys australis, Raineriophrys fortesca, Acanthocystis polymorpha, and A. dentata) and two previously registered species (P. ambigua and A. pectinata) were found within Orenburg region. The species Heteroraphidiophrys australis and Acanthocystis polymorpha are new for the protist fauna of Russia. Polyplacocystis coerulea was found for the first time in a natural site of Russia. The Russian fauna of centrohelids was compared with the world fauna. The conclusion on the necessity to develop heliozoan faunistic studies has been made.