Description of epibiont ciliates on the water mite Unionicola tetrafurcatus and their distribution on the host legs.

ABSTRACT

          The adult water mite Unionicola tetrafurcatus Ramadan & Aboul-Dahab, 2002 is symbiotic on the freshwater mussel Caelatura aegyptiaca Caillaud, 1827. Five species of protozoan ciliates belonging to two subclasses (Suctoria and Peritrichia) were found stuck firmly with the mite legs (I-IV). The suctorian species was Tokophrya quadripartita and the peritrichs included  Zoothamnium sp., Epistylis sp., Rhabdostyla vernalis and Vorticella sp. Both suctorians and peritrichs were infesting about 50% of the collected mites. The ciliates recorded higher density on the fourth leg of the mite and declined gradually towards the first leg.