Wilbertomorpha

Wilbertomorpha
Scientific classification
Domain:
Eukaryota
(unranked):
SAR
(unranked):
Alveolata
Phylum:
Ciliophora
Class:
Karyorelictea
Order:
incertae sedis
Family:
Wilbertomorphidae

Xu Y., Li J., Song W., et Warren A., 2013
Genus:
Wilbertomorpha

Xu, Li, Song & Warren, 2013
Species:
W. colpoda
Binomial name
Wilbertomorpha colpoda
Xu, Li, Song & Warren, 2013

Wilbertomorphidae is a family of karyorelictean ciliates. The family is monotypic, because it contains a single genus Wilbertomorpha with a single known species, Wilbertomorpha colpoda.

Like most karyorelicteans, Wilbertomorpha lives in the marine interstitial habitat, between sediment grains. The cells are oval-shaped and about 45 μm long by 15 μm wide. Its distinctive features are a reduced oral apparatus ("mouth") and colorless granules of different shapes (rod-, cross-, and oval-shaped) in the cortex of the cell. Its phylogenetic relationship to other families of karyorelictean ciliates is unclear, because its morphology (ciliature) most closely resembles the order Loxodida, whereas molecular phylogenetics places it closer to the family Geleiidae. It was first collected from a beach at Qingdao, China. The name Wilbertomorpha was coined in honor of the German ciliatologist Norbert Wilbert.

References

  1. ↑ Yuan Xu; Li, J.; Weibo Song; Warren, Alan (2013). "Phylogeny and Establishment of a New Ciliate Family, Wilbertomorphidae fam. nov. (Ciliophora, Karyorelictea), a Highly Specialized Taxon Represented by Wilbertomorpha colpoda gen. nov., spec. nov". Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology. 60 (5): 480–489. doi:10.1111/jeu.12055. PMID 23829190. Wikidata Q30653609.