TurkJZool 30(2006)399-403 ©TÜB‹TAK TheLittle-KnownFree-LivingCiliatesfromtheSoilsofPirgulian StateReserve(EasternAzerbaijan) IlhamALEKPEROV,JamilyaSADIKHOVA ProtistologicalLaboratory,InstituteofZoology,NASofAzerbaijan,Baku-AZERBAIJAN Received:01.11.2005 Abstract: Thespeciesdiversityofthesoilfree-livingciliatesof3partsofPirgulianStateReservewasinvestigated.Intotal,120 speciesoffree-livingciliateswerefound.Fiveofthem(EnchelysvermiformisF.,1986,EpispathidiumterricolaF.,1986, DrepanomonassphagniKahl,1931,FrontoniaterricolaF.,1986,andCirrophryaterricolaF.,1986)arenewfortheCaucasusfauna. Thedescriptionof5speciesarebasedontheobservationsoflivingspecimensandtheanalysisoftotalslidesimpregnatedby silver nitrate. KeyWords: Fauna,soilciliates,impregnation,Azerbaijan Introduction Freshlycollectedsoilsamples(horizon0-20cm)were PirgulianStateReserveincludes3parts,consistingin deliveredtotheProtistologyLaboratoryoftheInstitute allof1520ha.Thehighestpart(Arakhchian,29%ofthe ofZoologyoftheNationalAcademyofSciencesof area)islocatedontheforestlevelat1600-2000mabove Azerbaijan.Altogether80soilsampleswereplacedin sealevel(a.s.l.).Someofthelowerpart(1000-1500 petridishes(diameter10cm).To1gofsoilwasadded a.s.l.)(Pirgulian,34.9%)islocatedonthemiddleofthe 10mlofdistilledwaterwithasmallquantityofdry forestlevel,andat800-1000ma.s.l.,thereisthelowest peptone.Thesoilsamplesrunwithwaterwerekeptat part(Janginian,36.1%)oftheStateReserve. roomtemperature.Thetopologyofkinetomeswas Consideringthepoorknowledgeofthesoilciliates determinedbyamethodofsilvernitrateandsilver (especiallyintheSouthCaucasus),wecarriedoutan proteinateimpregnation(ChattonandLwoff,1930; investigationofthefree-livingciliatefaunainthesoilsof Alekperov,1992).Thenucleiwerestainedwiththe all3partsofPirgulianStateReserve,locatednearthecity Feulgennuclearreaction.Theciliateswereinvestigated ofShemakha(EasternAzerbaijan). withalightmicroscope.Allthemeasurementsweremade onnolessthan15specimensofeachspeciesinvivoand totalimpregnatedslides. MaterialsandMethods Theinvestigatedmaterialwascollectedseasonally fromJanuary2004toOctober2005.Inall,80soil ResultsandDiscussion samplesweretaken.Twentysamplesweretakenfrom FamilyEnchelyidaeEhrenberg,1838 thehighest(Arakhchian)part,locatedontheborderof 1.Enchelysvermiformis Foissner,1986(Figure1,A-B) subalpineandforestlandscapes,30samplesweretaken fromthePirgulianpartwithforestlandscape,and30 Thisspecieswasfoundatthefirsttimeinthe sampleswerecollectedfromlowest(Janginian)partwith mountainsoilsnotfarfromSalzburg(Austria)by forestlandscape. Foissner(1986). ThelowandmiddlepartsofPirgulianStateReserve Thesizeoflivingcellsis120-200µmx30-50µm, havebrownmountain-forestsoilsandarecoveredwith afterfixation100-150µmx20-35µm.Bodyelongated beech,hornbeamandoaktrees.Thehighestparthasturf worm-likeshape.Apicalcytostomewith8-11spiral alpine-grasslandssoilsandiscoveredwithsparsegrowth nematodesmalelements.Belowcytostome3shortrows ofbushesandgrass. ofdorsalbrosse,consistingofdoublekinetosomes. 399 TheLittle-KnownFree-LivingCiliatesfromtheSoilsofPirgulianStateReserve(EasternAzerbaijan) Cs L DB DB Nm Nm Ma B B Mi Ma 20µm CV Mi A Figure2. Epispathidiumterricola.A–generalview,B–oralzone,L– lip,DB–dorsalbrosse,CV–contractilevacuole,Nm– 30µm CV nematodesmata(silverimpregnation),Ma–macronucleus, Mi–micronucleus(Feulgenreaction). A Figure1. Enchelysvermiformis.A–generalview,B–oralzone,Cs– cytostome,DB–dorsalbrosse,CV–contractilevacuole,Nm nematodesmata.Dorsalbrosselocatedattheanterior –nematodesmata(silverimpregnation),Ma–macronucleus, partofbody,contains3relativelyshort(15µm)rows, Mi–micronucleus(Feulgenreaction). consistingofdoublekinetosomesandcontinuing posteriorlyasnormalsomatickineties. Somaticciliatureconsistsof21rowsofkinetosomes,of Somaticciliatureisformedof38-40kineties, which3unipolaronesbeginatdorsalbrosse. beginningatanteriorandendingatposteriorendof body.Contractilevacuolelocatedatthecaudalend. Endoplasmdarkbrown,withoutinclusions.Nuclear apparatusconsistingofalongband-likemacronucleus Endoplasmtransparentwithnumerousfoodvacuoles. and3-5micronuclei.Contractilevacuoleslocatedatthe Nuclearapparatusconsistingofalongband-like caudalend. macronucleusand5micronuclei. OurspecimensofE. vermiformis hasalargernumber Ourspecimensof E.terricola showmorphological ofsomatickineties,contrarytothefirstdescription characteristicsthatcorrespondtothespeciesdescribedin (Foissner,1986)(21rowsversus17rows).Itisarare thefirstdescription(Foissner,1986),anddifferonlyby speciesinthestudyarea,beingregisteredonlythe thesmallercellsize(ourspecimens100-130x20-45µm highest(Arakhchian)partofPirgulianStateReserve. versus120-160x35-60µm). FamilySpathidiiadeKahlinDoffleinand FamilyMicrothoracidaeWresniowski,1870 Reichenow,1929 3.Drepanomonassphagni Kahl,1931(Figure3,A-B) 2.Epispathidiumterricola Foissner,1986(Figure2, Thisisasmallspeciesofciliate.Sizeoflivingcells25- A-B) 35µmx10-15µm,afterfixationupto20µm.Body Thisspecieswasfoundforthefirsttimeinthesoilsin flattenedlaterallywithanterior4teethontheleftedge Austria(Foissner,1986). Sizeoflivingcells100-130 withshort(6-3)kineticrows.Ontherightsideasmall µmx20-45µm,fixedcellsupto90µm.Bodylanceolate, cytostomewith5-7nematodesmataandparoral flatteneddorsoventrally.Oralslitencircledbyawell- membrane.Ontherightbodyside3incompletesomatic markedlip.Cytostomewithnumerousthick rows,consistingofdikinetidslyingtotherightof 400 I.ALEKPEROV,J.SADIKHOVA R PK3 N PK2 PK1 PM Nm 10µm A B Figure3. Drepanomonassphagni.A–rightlateralside,Nm–nematodesmata,PM–paroral membrane,PK1,PK2,PK3 –paroralkinetosomes,B–leftlateralside,R–ribs,N– nuclei(silverimpregnation). cytostomeandonelyingtotheleftofcytostome.Onthe uncompletedandshorterthantheothers.Twolong leftlateralbodyside3tortuousribswithrandomly perizonalrowsbeginatthefrontofthepreoralunciliated scatteredkinetosomes. sutureandendattheventralsuture,dividingthe Endoplasmtransparent,withoutinclusions. posteriorpartoftheventralsideintwo. Contractilevacuolelocatedbelowcytostome.Nuclei Totheleftofthecytostomethereare3strong placedincenterofthecellandconsistingofaspherical peniculuses,consistingofseveralrowsofcilies,6-7 (5.2µm)macronucleusandasinglemicronucleus. postoralrowsofkinetiesstartbelowthepeniculusesand Fromthefirstdescription(Kahl,1931)ourspecimens reachtheventralsuture.Somaticciliatureconsistsof55- differbythesmallersize(ourspecimens25-25x10-15 60rows.Endoplasmbrightbrown,withseveralfood µmversus30-45x20-25µm)andstrongerribsonthe vacuoles.Nuclearapparatusrepresentedbybean-like leftlateralbodyside. macronucleuswithsinglemicronucleus.Onthecenterof dorsalsidethereis1contractilevacuolewith5excretory Itisararespeciesinthestudyarea,beingregistered pores. onlyinthehighest(Arakhchian)partofPirgulianState Reserve. Ourspecimensof F.terricola showmorphological characteristicsthatcorrespondtothespeciesdescribedin FamilyFrontoniidaeKahl,1926 theoriginaldescription(Foissner,1986),differingonlyin 4.Frontoniaterricola Foissner,1986(Figure4,A-C) thesmallersomatics(ourspecimens55-60µmversus70 Thisspecieswasfoundanddescribedforthefirst µm)andpostoralrowsofkinetics(ourspecimens6-7 timefromthesoilsneartheViennasuburbs(Austria)by versus8). Foissner(1986). Thisspeciesiscommoninthewholestudyarea. Sizeoflivingcells80-140x50-75µm,afterfixation FamilyPlatyophryidaePuytoracetal.,1979 upto100µm.Bodyoval.Ventralcytostomelocatedin theanteriorpartofthebody.Totherightofthe 5.Cyrrophryaterricola Foissner,1986(Figure5,A- cytostomethereisanundulatingmembraneand5 C) perizonal(vestibular)rowsofcloselyadjacent Thisspecieswasfoundanddescribedforthefirst kinetosomes.Threeofthem(totheright)are timefromthesoilsofAustria(Foissner,1986). 401 TheLittle-KnownFree-LivingCiliatesfromtheSoilsofPirgulianStateReserve(EasternAzerbaijan) PUS PR EP P1 Cs P2 P3 POR Ma Mi 50µm C A B Figure4. Frontoniaterricola.A–ventralside,POR–postoralrows;PR–perizonalrows,PUS –preoralunciliatedsuture,P 1,P2,P3 –peniculuses,Cs–cytostome,B–dorsalside, EP–excretorepores(silverimpregnation),C–nuclei,Ma–macronucleus,Mi– micronucleus(Feulgenreaction). Cs PM AO B Mi Ma CV C 20µm FO A Figure5. Cyrrophryaterricola. A–generalview,Cs–cytostome,FO-finger-likeorganelles,CV– contractilevacuole,B–Oralarea,PM–paroralmembranes,AO–adoralorganelles(silver impregnation),C–nuclei,Ma–macronucleus,Mi–micronucleus(Feulgenreaction). 402 I.ALEKPEROV,J.SADIKHOVA Sizeoflivingcells40-5x15-20µm,afterfixationup Endoplasmtransparent,brightyellow.Nuclear to45x12µm.Bodyelongated,contractileandcurvedto apparatusconsistingofasphericalmacronucleuswith theleftanteriorend.Thereare5-7finger-likeorganelles singleellipticalmicronucleus.Contractilevacuoleslocated ontheposteriorend.Itsfunctionistoattachtoananimal ontheposteriorpart. forsubstrate.Subapicalcytostomeborderedtotheleft Ourspecimensdiffersfromthefirstdescriptionof C. with4adoralorganelles,totherightC-likeparoral terricola byalowernumberofsomaticrows(our membranes. specimens15-18rowsversus20rows). Somaticciliatureisformedof15-18rowsof Itisararespeciesinthestudyarea,beingregistered dikinetids,whichcommencefromtheanterioredgeand onlyonceinthePirgulianpartoftheStateReserve. endatposterioredgeofthebody. References Alekperov,I.Kh.1992.Newmodificationofimpregnationciliates ÖsterreichundDeutschland.Österr.Akad.derWissenschaften kinetomebysilverproteinate.J.ofZoology,Moscow.2:130- Mathem.-naturw.Kl.,Abt,1,195.Bd.,6,bis.10.Heft.Wien 133. 1986.217-268. Chatton,E.andLwoff,A.1930.Imprégnation,pardiffusion Kahl,A.1931.UrtiereoderProtozoa.1.WimpertiereoderCiliata argentique,del’infraciliaturedesCiliésmarinsetd’eaudouce, (Infusoria).2.Holotricha(ausserdenim1.Teilbehandelten aprèsfixationcytologiqueetsansdessication.C.R.Soc.Biol. Prostomata).InDahl,F.,ed.,DieTierweltDeutschlands,G. Paris.104:834-836. Fischer.Jena,21:181-398. Foissner,W.1986.NeueterrestrischeundlimnischeCiliaten(Protozoa, Ciliophora)aus 403.