Hindgut ciliate diversity of domestic horses in Kastamonu, Turkey and scanning electron micrographs

Abstract

The hindgut ciliate diversity of domestic horses in Kastamonu, Turkey was investigated; 34 species and 3 morphotypes belonging to 20 genera were identified, but no novel species were detected. For individual domestic horses, the total number of ciliate species per animal ranged from 3.0 to 22.0, with an average of 13.9 ± 7.0 (SD). The average abundance of hindgut ciliates in the 11 domestic horses was 5.6 ± 5.8 × 104 cells mL–1, and the min.-max. values ranged from 1.0 × 104 cells mL–1 to 29.5 × 104 cells mL–1. Except for three individuals, all other domestic horses contained Bundleia postciliata, Polymorphella ampulla, Blepharocorys curvigula, and Spirodinium equi, each with a prevalence of 72.2%, whereas Bundleia inflata, Tetratoxum excavatum m. excavatum, and Tetratoxum parvum m. sulcatum were observed in only one horse, and their prevalence was 9.1%. Scanning electron microscopy images of the following species were analyzed: Paraisotricha colpoidea, P. ampulla, B. postciliata, Bundleia piriformis, Blepharoprosthium pireum, Hemiprorodon gymnoposthium, Holophryoides macrotricha, Holophryoides ovalis, Blepharocorys angusta, B. curvigula, Blepharocorys microcorys, Blepharocorys uncinata, Cycloposthium bipalmatum, Cycloposthium edentatum m. edentatum, Tripalmaria dogieli, S. equi, T. excavatum m. excavatum, Tetratoxum unifasciculatum, Ditoxum funinucleum, Cochliatoxum periachtum, Triadinium caudatum, Circodinium minimum, Gassovskiella galea, and Allantosoma intestinale.