Ciliate protozoa in the rumen of sassaby antelope, Damaliscus lunatus lunatus, including the description of a new species and form.

Composition of rumen ciliate fauna in five Zambian, sassaby antelopes was determined. Six genera, 18 species, and four forms were identified. One new species and form, belonging to the subfamily Diplodiniinae, were found, then labeled Ostracodinium damaliscus n. sp. and Diplodinium bubalidis f. aspinosum n. f., respectively. Only ophryoscolecid species were present while isotrichids were absent. Twelve of 18 total species are commonly found in African antelopes. Three of those 12 species, Entodinium fyferi, Enoploplastron garstangi and Opisthotrichum janus, are only found in African antelopes. Percentage composition was low in the genera Enoploplastron, Eudiplodinium and Entodinium, and high in the genus Opisthotrichum. The average density of ciliates was 3.1 x 10(5)/ml of rumen fluid, and the average number of ciliate species per host was 17.2.