TY - JOUR
TI - Growth characteristics of Ephelota gigantea: a pest to seaweed culture along the northeastern coast of Japan
AU - Kobayashi, Toshimasa
AU - Nakano, Nobuyuki
AU - Muto, Takaaki
AU - Endo, Yoshinari
TI - Growth characteristics of Ephelota gigantea: a pest to seaweed culture along the northeastern coast of Japan
AB - Suctorians of the genus Ephelota are stalked ciliates and ectocommensals of marine invertebrates and plants. Ephelota gigantea has long been known as a major nuisance to the cultured seaweed industries in the coastal area of northeastern Japan. However, little is known about its life history, so in situ growth experiments were performed in the vicinity of wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) long-line culture in Iwate Prefecture, and the development of swarmers was investigated in the laboratory. The stalk elongated first, followed by enlargement of body length and body width, with body width increasing linearly with time. Over 5–6 days, E. gigantea increased 4–5-fold by external budding. Such an experiment was carried out for the first time for E. gigantea and possibly for any Ephelota species. The information obtained is important not only in understanding the life history of this species but also for understanding the interactions with host organisms.
VL - 2011
IS - Volume 50, Issue 4
PY - 2011
SN - 0065-1583
C1 - 1689-0027
SP - 339
EP - 343
DO - 10.4467/16890027AP.11.031.0068
UR - https://ejournals.eu/en/journal/acta-protozoologica/article/growth-characteristics-of-ephelota-gigantea-a-pest-to-seaweed-culture-along-the-northeastern-coast-of-japan
KW - Ephelota gigantea
KW - suctorian
KW - ectocommensal
KW - growth characteristics
KW - wakame