• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.211-220
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• 2024

During the surveys of ciliates from hypoxic habitats, three marine anaerobic species were found: Metopus spiculatus, M. vestitus, and Muranothrix felix. These species have not been previously recorded in South Korea and belong to the taxonomic classes Armophorea and Muranotrichea. The morphology of these species was examined by both microscopic observations of live specimens, and stained cells using protargol impregnations. Metopus spiculatus has the following characteristics: body size 80-110×25-35 ㎛ in vivo, beak-like structure at the end of preoral dome, ectosymbiotic bacteria covering cell surface, intracytoplasmic needle-shaped structures and the conspicuous tail end. Metopus vestitus has the following distinguishing characteristics: body size 95-130×25-45 ㎛ in vivo, a cone-shaped body, a covering of ectosymbiotic bacteria on its cell surface, intracytoplasmic needleshaped structures, somatic kineties arranged in 26-28 longitudinal rows, and a posterior part tapered into a tail. Muranothrix felix has the following characteristics: body size 100-130×20-30 ㎛ in vivo, elongated body with twisted neck region, bristle-like cilia protruding perpendicular to the cell margin, ectosymbiotic bacteria covering the cell surface, about 10 macronuclear nodules, and a long, stiffened caudal cilium.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.215-222
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• 2015

During our investigation of ciliates from Korea, four ciliates were isolated from the non-flood Petri dish culture of soil. They were cultured under laboratory condition and studied using standard methods morphologically, including living observations, protargol impregnations, and morphometrics. The four species are Metopus hasei Sondheim, 1929, Urosomoida agiliformis Foissner, 1982, Oxytricha proximata Shibuya, 1930, and Cladotricha sp. in Nie${\ss}$en (1984) respectively.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.301-320
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• 2021

During a field survey of indigenous Korean ciliates, we collected 21 unrecorded species from aquatic (freshwater and brackish water [salinity about 1.0‰] samples) and terrestrial(moss and soil samples) habitats. The morphology of these species was studied based on live observation, protargol, silver carbonate and silver nitrate impregnation, and scanning electron microscope. These species belong to seven classes as follows: 1) class Heterotrichea - Blepharisma seculum; 2) class Spirotrichea - Birojimia terricola, Bistichella variabilis, Deviata bacilliformis, Oxytricha paragranulifera, Parabistichella cf. variabilis, Steinia sphagnicola, Stichotricha aculeata, Stylonychia cf. notophora, and Tetmemena bifaria minima; 3) class Armophorea - Metopus es; 4) class Litostomatea - Acropisthium mutabile, Pseudomonilicaryon japonicum, and Rimaleptus alpinus; 5) class Phyllopharyngea - Podophrya bivacuolata; 6) class Nassophorea - Drepanomonas pauciciliata; and 7) class Oligohymenophorea - Dexiostoma campylum, Frontonia atra, Histiobalantium natans viridis, Opisthonecta minima, and Tetrahymena rostrata. Here, we provide a brief diagnosis and remark for each species.

• Journal of Species Research
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2022

During a field survey to report unrecorded Korean ciliates, we collected five anaerobic ciliate species in two samples from freshwater and marine environments. These species belong to the classes Armophorea and Plagiopylea. The morphology of these species was studied based on live observations, protargol impregnation, and scanning electron microscope. Brachonella contorta is characterized by a size of 80-100×40-60 ㎛ in vivo, a bullet-shaped body, and about 60 oral polykinetids making 360° spiral around long axis. Brachonella pulchra is characterized by a size of 80-110×50-70 ㎛ in vivo and adoral zone composed of about 40 oral polykinetids with minimal spiralization. Metopus setosus is characterized by a size of 45-70×20-30 ㎛ in vivo, about 22 ciliary rows, very long caudal cilia, and 20 oral polykinetids. Plagiopyla nasuta is a freshwater species characterized by a size of 80-120×50-60 ㎛ in vivo, striated band present, straight extrusomes, and about 70 somatic ciliary rows. The marine Plagiopyla frontata is characterized by a size of 80-120×40-60 ㎛ in vivo, an oval to ellipsoid body shape, 50-60 somatic ciliary rows, and curved extrusomes.