New rumen ciliate, entodinium kastamonicum, new species (Ophryoscolecidae: Entodiniomorphida) from turkish domestic cattle, Bos taurus taurus

Abstract

In the course of examining the rumen contents obtained from 25 domestic cattle (Bos taurus taurus) in the vicinity of Kastamonu, Turkey, a new species belonging to the genus Entodinium, viz., Entodinium kastamonicum new species with seven morphotypes was identified. The seven new morphotypes of this new species, E. kastamonicum m. kastamonicum n. m., E. kastamonicum m. lobatum n. m., E. kastamonicum m. rudidorsospinatum n.m., E. kastamonicum m. monospinosum n. m., E. kastamonicum m. bifidum n. m., E. kastamonicum m. bispinosum n.m. and E. kastamonicum m. trispinosum n. m. were identified on the basis of differences in their caudal spines and lobes. The morphological characteristics of these protozoa are described and their relationship to similar entodiniid species are discussed. © Copyright 2014 Zoological Society of Pakistan.