Lichens are widely recognized as important examples of a fungal-algal or fungal-cyanophyte symbiosis; and in some cases they are a major food source for some animal grazers such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus), especially in the Arctic during winter. However, relatively little is known about the ecology of their co-associated bacterial and protistan communities. This is one of the first reports of an analysis of microbial communities associated with rock-dwelling foliose lichens (Flavoparmeliasp.), including a more detailed analysis of the microbial communities associated with segments of the shield-like, radially arranged lobes. Samples were taken from lichens on granite boulders beneath an oak and maple tree stand on the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory Campus, Palisades, N.Y. The bacteria and protist members of the lichen associated microbial communities are comparable to recently reported associations for foliose lichens growing on tree bark at the same locale, including the presence of large myxomycete plasmodial amebas, heterotrophic nanoflagellates, and naked and testate amebas. To obtain evidence of possible differences in the microecology of different portions of each radial lobe, three segments of the radial lobe in the shield-like lichen were sampled: 1) inner, more mature, central segment; 2) middle section linking the central and peripheral segments; and 3) outer, peripheral, usually broader, less closely attached segment. The mean densities (number/g) and biomasses (µg/g) of bacteria and heterotrophic nanoflagellates were highest in the older central segment and lowest in the peripheral segment of the radial lobes, especially when expressed on moist weight basis. Large myxomycete plasmodial amebas were typically located in the outermost segment of the radial lobe. The proportion of vannellid amebas (Vannella spp. and Cochliopodium spp.) were significantly more abundant in the samples of the inner lobes compared to non-vannellid amebas that were more prevalent in the outer lobes. The outer segment of the thallus lobe was typically more spongiose and absorbed more water per unit weight (based on a wet/dry-weight ratio) than the innermost segment. In general, patterns of densities and taxonomic composition of bacteria and eukaryotic microbes intergraded from the inner most segment to the outer part of each lobe – indicating a possible microecological gradient, coincident with the age-related and morphological radial gradations of the lobe. Overall, the evidence shows that the radial variation in the morphology and age-related variables of the three lobe segments may affect the microenvironment of the lobe segments and hence influence the organization of the microbial communities within each segment.

It has been known for some time that the distinctive polar weakly calcified coccolithophores are also present in samples from lower latitudes. While polar species may actually have a geographic range that vastly extends beyond the polar realms, it is often the case that the warm water regions contribute species that can be allocated to genera previously described based on polar material. We are currently in the process of formally dealing with the warm water species diversity affiliated with the family Papposphaeraceae. In this paper we describe a new genus and species Ventimolina stellata based on material from the Andaman Sea (type locality) and the NW Mediterranean.

In 1961, the testate amoeba Nebela kivuense Gauthier-Lièvre et Thomas, 1961 was described for the first and only time from an area near Lake Edward in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (at 0.002° N Latitude). The lack of recent reports of this species, despite exhaustive surveys of the testate amoebae fauna of the major continents of the world, suggested that N. kivuense was a rare species perhaps endemic to a small, local equatorial region of the African continent. This paper reports its rediscovery from two wetland-conifer forest ecosystems in southern Ontario, Canada (at 44° N Latitude), thus changing dramatically our previous perception of its very restricted global distribution. This has implications for the idea held by many students of biogeography that there is a special category of microscopic protists that contains truly rare species and their rarity, perhaps together with specific habitat requirements and tolerances, limits opportunities for dispersal around the world. The N. kivuense story is a clear example of the dangers of inferring endemism from rarity.

A new species, Porosia paracarinata, is described from mountain forest litter, Bijodaira, Japan. This is the second species in the genus Porosia; until now, the genus was monospecific with the type speciesPorosia bigibbosa. P. paracarinata sp. nov. is distinguished from P. bigibbosa by the presence of a wide lateral keel. Test ultrastructure of P. paracarinata sp. nov. was documented using light and scanning electron microscopy. Morphometric analyses showed that this species is only slightly variable. The main morphological variability is due to the size of the lateral keel, which can vary from very wide (13.13 μm) to very narrow (3.75 μm). Ecological notes and morphological comparisons between P. paracarinataand other closely related species are discussed. The taxonomic concept of previously monospecific genus Porosia is expended.

Wakame seaweed is an important aquatic resource in Iwate Prefecture. However, a suctorianEphelota gigantea sometimes causes great damage to wakame culture. Since little is known about the biological characteristics of E. gigantea, its detailed morphology and temporal change of biological characteristics during the 2010 culture season were investigated. Scanning electron microscope observations showed that E. gigantea had different striation patterns on the stalk; there was a swell made of cement by which the stalk was attached to wakame firmly; and the buds had cilia arranged in concentric circles about a ring in the center of the ventral side. A suctorian parasite was found to infect E. gigantea, and the infection seemed to have decreased drastically the attached density of E. gigantea on wakame. Cell size of parasite-infected E. gigantea individuals was larger than that of uninfected individuals, probably because larger E. gigantea has larger surface area for attachment of the parasite. Cyst formation or conjugating individuals were not observed.

Ten new species of myxosporeans found from marine fishes were collected from coastal waters off the Yellow Sea in China: Sphaerospora sebasta sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Sebastes schlegeli, Ceratomyxa hemitriptera sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Hemitripterus villosus,Ceratomyxa kareus sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladders of Kareius bicoloratus and Zebrias zebra,Ceratomyxa lateolabrax sp. n. and Ceratomyxa lomi sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder ofLateolabrax japonicus, Ceratomyxa qingdaoensis sp. n. coelozoic in the urinary bladder ofArgyrosomus argentatus, Ceratomyxa saurida sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Saurida elongata, Ceratomyxa sebastisca sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Sebastiscus sp., Ceratomyxa simplex sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder of Chirolophis japonicus and Ceratomyxa triacantha sp. n. coelozoic in the gall bladder and bile of Triacanthus brevirostris. All those forms were described in a book chapter cited as “known forms” several years ago, but have never been formally established as new taxa which are thus officially reported here. The present contribution only provided the morphology and geographic distribution of these organisms.

Uronema marinum is a cosmopolitan marine ciliate. It is a facultative parasite and the main causative agent of outbreaks of scuticociliatosis in aquaculture fish. This study reports a method for the axenic cultivation of U. marinum in high densities in an artificial medium comprising proteose peptone, glucose and yeast extract powder as its basic components. The absence of bacteria in the cultures was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy of DAPI-stained samples and the failure to recover bacterial SSU-rDNA using standard PCR methods. Using this axenic medium, a maximum cell density of 420,000 ciliate cells/ml was achieved, which is significantly higher than in cultures using living bacteria as food or in other axenic media reported previously. This method for high-density axenic cultivation of U. marinum should facilitate future research on this economically important facultative fish parasite.