We describe Diplophrys parva n. sp., a freshwater heterotroph, using fine structural and sequence evidence. Cells are small (L = 6.5 ± 0.08, W = 5.5 ± 0.06 µm; mean ± SE) enclosed by an envelope/theca of overlapping scales, slightly oval to elongated-oval with rounded ends, (1.0 × 0.5–0.7 µm), one to several intracellular refractive granules (~ 1.0–2.0 µm), smaller hyaline peripheral vacuoles, a nucleus with central nucleolus, tubulo-cristate mitochondria, and a prominent Golgi apparatus with multiple stacked saccules (~ 10). It is smaller than published sizes of Diplophrys archeri (~ 10–20 µm), modestly less than Diplophrys marina (~ 5–9 µm), and differs in scale size and morphology from D. marina. No cysts were observed. We transfer D. marina to a new genus Amphifila as it falls within a mo-lecular phylogenetic clade extremely distant from that including D. parva. Based on morphological and molecular phylogenetic evidence, Labyrinthulea are revised to include six new families, including Diplophryidae for Diplophrys and Amphifilidae containing Amphifila. The other new families have distinctive morphology: Oblongichytriidae and Aplanochytriidae are distinct clades on the rDNA tree, but Sorodiplophryidae and Althorniidae lack sequence data. Aplanochytriidae is in Labyrinthulida; the rest are in Thraustochytrida; Laby-rinthomyxa is excluded.

We describe the amoeboid isolate ATCC© 50593™ as a new taxon, Telaepolella tubasferens n. gen. n. sp. This multinucleated amoeba has filose pseudopods and is superficially similar to members of the vampyrellids (Rhizaria) such as Arachnula impatiens Cienkowski, 1876, which was the original identification upon deposition. However, previous multigene analyses place this taxon within the Gracilipodida Lahr & Katz 2011 in the Amoebozoa. Here, we document the morphology of this organism at multiple life history stages and describe data underlying the description as a new taxon. We demonstrate that T. tubaspherens is distinct from Arachnula and other rhizarians (Theratromyxa, Leptophrys) in a suite of morphological characters such as general body shape, relative size of pseudopods, distinction of ecto- and endoplasmic regions, and visibility of nuclei in non-stained cells (an important diagnostic character). Although Amoebozoa taxa generally have lobose pseudopods, genera in Gracilipodida such as Flamella and Filamoeba as well as several organisms previously classified as protosteloid amoebae (e.g. schizoplasmodiis, cavosteliids and Stemonitales) present filose pseudopodia. Thus, classification of amoeboid organisms merely by filose-lobose distinction must be reconsidered.

In order to better understand phylogenetic relationships among tintinnid ciliated protozoa, we sequenced and analyzed the SSU rDNA and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions of 10 species belonging to five genera in the order Tintinnida. The secondary structures of the ITS2 region were compared among 8 closely related genera, revealing two stable helices of the palm. In addition, we identified a bulge absence in position II of the ITS2 putative secondary structures of species in basal positions in phylogenetic trees, suggesting the absence bulge might be an ancestral character in the order Tintinnida. Phylogenetic analyses based on SSU rDNA and ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 regions sequence show 1) divergences within the family Tintinnidae are higher than that among other four families (Codonellidae, Ptychocylididae, Metacylididae and Codonellopsidae), suggesting the subdivision of the this family; 2) the family Ptychocylididae is polyphyletic; 3) the subdivision of Tintinnopsis are suggested, because the Tintinnopsis spp. scatter into different clades; 4) species with agglutinated loricae are not clearly separated from that with hyaline ones.

New species of eimeriid coccidia (Apicomplexa: Eimeriidae) is described from the Common Wood Pigeon Columba palumbus (Aves: Columbidae). Sporulated oocysts of Eimeria columbapalumbi sp. n. are ellipsoidal 24–17 × 18–15 µm. Micropyle and oocyst residuum are absent. Sporocysts are broadly ellipsoidal, 11–16 × 6–7µm, with Stieda body. Substiedal body is absent. Sporocyst residuum is scattered, composed of hundreds of small granules. Sporozoites are elongate and slightly curved, each with two refractile bodies. There are two irregularly shaped polar granules present in the oocyst. The endogenous development takes place within the enterocytes of jejunum.