Department of Invertebrate Evolution, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
Department of Invertebrate Evolution, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.
Eur J Protistol. 2023 Jun;89:125974. doi: 10.1016/j.ejop.2023.125974. Epub 2023 Mar 22.
Tardigrades are a phylum of microscopic invertebrates with a global distribution. Although our understanding of their systematic position and taxonomy has increased and continues to grow, their relationship with the other organisms that share their habitat remains poorly studied. One such organism is Propyxidium tardigradum, a peritrich ciliate which uses tardigrades for dispersion and as a substrate for reproduction. Here, we present the first Scottish record and tenth global occurrence of Propyxidium tardigradum, thereby expanding our knowledge of its poorly understood zoogeographic distribution. We also summarise the literature concerning P. tardigradum biology, proffer hypotheses regarding the Propyxidium-tardigrade relationship, and the apparent lack of heterotardigrade ciliate infestation. Additionally, we indicate a number of recommendations for the direction of future studies regarding the ciliate. Finally, we add a further three species, Milnesium variefidum, Hypsibius cf. scabropygus and Macrobiotus scoticus to the list of Propyxidium host species.
缓步动物是一门具有全球分布的微观无脊椎动物门。尽管我们对其系统位置和分类学的理解有所增加并在继续发展，但它们与其他共享栖息地的生物的关系仍未得到充分研究。其中一种生物是 Propyxidium tardigradum，一种缘毛纤毛虫，它利用缓步动物进行传播，并作为繁殖的基质。在这里，我们首次记录了苏格兰的 Propyxidium tardigradum 并在全球第十次发现了它，从而扩展了我们对其了解甚少的动物地理分布的认识。我们还总结了有关 P. tardigradum 生物学的文献，提出了有关 Propyxidium-tardigrade 关系的假设，以及明显缺乏异缓步动物纤毛虫感染的情况。此外，我们为未来针对纤毛虫的研究方向提出了一些建议。最后，我们将 Milnesium variefidum、Hypsibius cf. scabropygus 和 Macrobiotus scoticus 这三个物种添加到 Propyxidium 宿主物种列表中。
