Ciliados asociados al pasto marino Halodule beaudettei en la Laguna de Tamiahua, Veracruz, México

Abstract

THE AQUATIC GRASSES REPRESENT AN IMPORTANT SUBSTRATE FOR A GREAT DIVERSITY OF EPIBIONTIC ORGANISMS, HOWEVER THEIR CILIATOLOGIC COMPOSITION IS UNKNOWN. THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY IS TO KNOW THE CILIATES ASSOCIATED TO HALODULE FOR THE PRESENT WORK. THE SAMPLES WERE PLACED IN PLASTIC BAGS WITH LAGOON WATER. TEMPERATURE, SALINITY AND PH WERE RECORDED. THE SEAGRASS WAS MAINTAINED IN AQUARIA AT ROOM TEMPERATURE. TJE CILIATES WERE EXAMINED ALIVE WITH BOTH LIGHT FIELD AND PHASE CONTRAST MICROSCOPY AND ALSO STAINED BY HARRIS HAEMATOXYLIN AND PROTARGOL SILVER TECHNIQUES. NINE SPECIES OF SESSILINE CILIATES AND 17 SPECIES OF FREESWIMMING CILIATES WERE IDENTIFIED, SEVEN ARE REPORTED FOR THE FIRST TIME IN MEXICO. THE IDENTIFIED SESSILINE SPECIES ARE NOT EXCLUSIVE OF THIS PHANEROGAM, SINCE THEY ARE PART OF THE BENTHOS OF LAGOON. THE NUMBER OF CILIATES SPECIES REACHED MAXIMUM VALUES ON JUNE, ALSO DURING THIS MONTH A GREATER ABUNDANCE OF THE GRASS WAS OBSERVED.