Protistology 6 (4) 236–244 (2010/11) |
Flagellar apparatus structure of Thaumatomonas (Thaumatomonadida) and thaumatomonad relationships |
Sergey A. Karpov Zoological Institute RAS, and St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia Summary The precise phylogenetic relationship of thaumatomonads to other Cercozoa based on molecular phylogeny is not clear. To clarify the position of thaumatomonads among other cercozoan flagellates the flagellar apparatus structure was studied in two species of Thaumatomonas: T. seravini and T. lauterborni. The root system of both species is composed of 4 microtubular roots, which are homologous to those of cercomonads. The kinetosome of the anterior flagellum has two microtubular roots (da and vp2), the kinetosome of the posterior flagellum has a vp1 microtubular root and a fibrillar one. An additional left root originates between the kinetosomes. Comparison of flagellar apparatus structure of Thaumatomonas with those of other well investigated cercozoans revealed (1) a highly conservative set of roots among studied Cercozoa, and (2) that thaumatomonads are morphologically most similar to the glissomonads Bodomorpha and Katabia. Key words: Thaumatomonas, thaumatomonads, flagellar apparatus, phylogeny, taxonomy, 3D reconstruction Address for correspondence: Sergey A. Karpov. Zoological Institute RAS, Universitetskaya emb. 1, St. Petersburg, 199034 Russia; e-mail: sakarpov4@gmail.com |
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