Abstract
This study investigates the morphology and molecular characteristics of three new cyrtophorid ciliates isolated from China seas: Chlamydodon salinus n. sp., Chlamydodon caudatus n. sp., and Chlamydodon paramnemosyne n. sp. Of these, C. salinus n. sp. differs from its congeners through a combination of body size, a cross-striated band that is not continuous, the presence of 3034 somatic kineties, 1115 nematodesmal rods, and 13 contractile vacuoles. Chlamydodon caudatus n. sp., meanwhile, is characterized by having a conspicuous tail, a continuous cross-striated band, 3440 somatic kineties, about 15 contractile vacuoles, and 2024 nematodesmal rods. Compared with other Chlamydodon species, the third new one, C. paramnemosyne n. sp., could be identified by its continuous cross-striated band, 1618 somatic kineties, 5 contractile vacuoles, and 912 nematodesmal rods. Based on the sequence of the small subunit (SSU) rRNA gene, the phylogeny of these three new species was analyzed, indicating that they all clustered with other congeners to form a monophyletic assemblage. Based on previous studies and the present work, a brief revision of the genus Chlamydodon is supplied, and a key to aid the identification of Chlamydodon species is given.