• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.29-35
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• 2012

Two Spirostomum species collected from freshwater in Korea were identified as S. caudatum (Muller, 1786) and S. teres (Claparede and Lachmann, 1858). They are recorded for the first time in Korea. The description was based on the observation of living specimens and protargol impregnated specimens. Diagnostics of these species are as follows. Spirostomum caudatum: body size $400-450{\times}20-30\;{\mu}m$ in vivo, shaped long and slender with a tapered posterior part, highly contractile; macronucleus ellipsoid; adoral zone of membranelles occupied 30% of body length; somatic kineties 14-22 in number. Spirostomum teres: body size $240-460{\times}25-40\;{\mu}m$ in vivo, shaped long and slender with a flattened posterior end, highly contractile; cortical granules arranged in 2-3 rows; adoral zone of membranelles occupied 50% of body length; somatic kineties 20-30 in number; macronucleus ellipsoid; micronuclei 2-3 in number. Spirostomum caudatum and S. teres are the most similar congeners, but they are different in the posterior part of body (tail-like posterior part vs. flattened posterior end), length of adoral zone of membranelles in body length (1/3 vs. 1/2), and the number of somatic kineties (14-22 vs. 20-30). These populations match with European populations in morphological characters.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• no.spc9
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• pp.1-9
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• 2016

Two Spirostomum species were collected from freshwater in Jindo Island, Korea and identified as Spirostomum ambiguum (Muller, 1786) Ehrenberg, 1835 and Spirostomum minus Roux, 1901. This study is the first known morphological record of these two species being found in Korea. The description is based on the observation of living specimens and protargol impregnated specimens. Diagnostics of Spirostomum ambiguum: body size $340-930{\times}45-80{\mu}m$ in vivo; long and slender body with truncated posterior part; macronucleus moniliform with 7-22 nodules; cortical granules irregularly arranged 4-5 rows in between somatic kineties; 24-58 somatic kineties arranged longitudinally; adoral zone of membranelles (AZM) covered about 60-80% of body length. Diagnostics of Spirostomum minus: body size $500-730{\times}35-45{\mu}m$ in vivo; long and slender body with truncated posterior part; macronucleus moniliform with 11-16 nodules; micronucleus 20-37 oval shape; cortical granules regularly arranged 3-4 rows in between somatic kineties; 20-30 somatic kineties arranged longitudinally; AZM covered about 40-50% of body length with 120-150 adoral membranelles.