DUNTHORN & 2005 (Article) Ecuador

Morphological and molecular analysis of bromeliad-inhabiting ciliates in Ecuador

Author(s):—M.S. DUNTHORN

Publication:—Journal of Eukaryotic Microbiology 52(2): 7S-27S. (2005) — DOI

Abstract:—The microbial inhabitants of Neotropical forests are poorly known. According to Finlay (2002, Science, 296:1061?1063) the majority of taxa in tropical forests should be previously described elsewhere. Conversely, Foissner (1999, Protist, 150:363?368) points to examples of endemic protists, and states that while we can identify the common species there are few trained taxonomists to identify the rare ones in large sampling investigations. To test these hypotheses, I am following up on an initial study of Foissner et al. (2003, Europ. J. Protistol., 39:365?372) of the ciliates inhabiting waters in canopy, sub-canopy and terrestrial bromeliad tanks in two Ecuadorian forests. Using morphological (protargol, silver nitrate, and silver carbonate stains; scanning electron micrographs) and molecular methods (SSU and ITS sequencing) I will concentrate my investigations on the colpodid taxa found free-living in the bromeliad tanks in two Ecuadorian forests. If I find many new taxa, Finlay's hypothesis may not be applicable to atleast bromeliad-inhabiting ciliates.