 Reference Base  Six new ciliated protozoan species of Trichostomatida, En... |
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| Location: |
Africa |
| Subject: |
Diseases - Parasites |
| Species: |
African Rhino Species |
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Summary. A survey of ciliated protozoan endocommensals of both black and white wild African rhinoceroses revealed six new species from the caecum and colon in concentrations of 2x 1 03 - 5x 104/ml digesta fluid. Two uniformly somatically ciliated species of Trichostomatida, Helicozoster africanus with an external ciliated peristomal trough spiralling the entire body-length, was found in both black and white
rhinoceroses; while H. apicalis with an external ciliated peri stomal through spiralling half body -lenght, was found in white rhinoceroses only.
Three species of Entodiniomorphida were found in white rhinoceroses only. These were Rhinozeta pedale with a foot-like posterior end of the body; Triplumaria corrugare with a corrugated triangular posterior terminal tail, flnd Lavierella klipdriji with a distinctive club-shaped body. One adult species of Suctorida was present in both black and white rhinoceroses, Allantosoma multisuctores distinguishable by its
numerous ingestory suctorial tentacles scattered uniformly over its entire body. Counts of the total endocommensals stressed the possible role of the colon in the fermentation of the hosts's diet by these Protozoa. In all, nine protozoan families have been demonstrated to be associated with fermentation of the digesta by the nine species of hindgut-fermenting mammals thus far examined by various workers in morphological studies.
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