New record of Epistylis hentscheli (Ciliophora, Peritrichia) as an epibiont of Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. (Crustacea, Decapoda) in Chiapas, Mexico

Abstract

Epibiosis is very common between crustaceans and ciliates where the calcified surface of the crustacean body provides a suitable substrate for ciliate colonization. The aim of this contribution is to provide data about a new record between the epistylid ciliate Epistylis hentscheli Kahl, 1935, and the crayfish Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. The distribution of the epistylid on the basibiont body and its cellular/colonial characteristics were analyzed. Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. harbored colonies of E. hentscheli only on the pereiopods. This is the first record of this peritrich ciliate as an epibiont on Crustacea, having been previously found on algae and fish.