L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 13. 2000 (Budapest, 2000)

Szabó, A.: Ciliata (Protozoa, Ciliphora) species in alkaline biotopes of the Hortobágy National Park new to Hungary

MISCELLANEA ZOOLOGICA HUNGARICA Tomus 13. 2000 p. 5-10 Ciliata (Protozoa, Ciliphora) species in alkaline biotopes of the Hortobágy National Park new to Hungary by A. Szabó (Received April 6,1999) Abstract: Studies have been carried out in the alkaline biotopes (water, soil) of the Hortobágy National Park, Hungary. In the water samples 17 species {Holophrya vesiculosa, Prorodon marinus, Urotricha sapropelica, Coleps incurvus, Trachelophyllum vestitum, Bryophyllum tegularum, Spathidium procerum, Vasicola ciliata, Nassula brunea, Clatrostoma viminale, Caenomorpha sapropelica, Parurostyla viridis, Holosticha viridis, H. similis, Uroleptus musculus, U. caudatus, Balladinopsis sphaerica), while in the soil 4 species (Enchelys gasterosteus, Spathidium longicaudatum, Holosticha tetracirrata, Uroleptus caudatus) and 1 genus (Perisincira) proved to be new to the Hungarian fauna. Characteristics of their biotopes and their main ecological factors are given in Tables 1-2. Keywords: alkaline soil, plant associations, Ciliata, ecology Introduction In general one can state that new species to the national or even to the world fauna can mainly be expected in not thoroughly studied biotopes (streams, mountains, alkaline or other extreme ones). The possibility of this has also been enhanced by new microscope technologies (e.g. interface, contrast) and by the progressive perfection of staining methods like the dry silvering of Foissner (1976), modifications of the protargol method by Wilbert (1975) and Foissner (1982), or the silver carbonate one of Fernandez-Galiano (1976). Studying extreme biotopes of Hungary sen. G. Entz (1875, 1878, 1901, 1904) described 2 new genera and eight new species from the salt ponds of Torda and Szamosfalva settlements (recently in Romania). Of the Szeged School of Protozoology Gelei (1929, 1932, 1933a,b, 1935, 1936, 1938, 1939, 1944, 1950a, b, c) introduced 3 new genera and 13 species to the science, Horváth (1935a, b) described one Ciliata species, while Stiller (1941) one genus and 14 Peritricha species from the small ponds near Szeged. One has to refer to Foissner (1981) as a special example, who has described 34% of the species found in the Grossglockner Mountains as new to science. In this publication Foissner (1981) mentions that 56% of the species found earlier by Penard, 50% by Kahl and 12% of that by Dingfelder turned out to be new ones. Studying extreme (salty soils) biotopes Wilbert & Kaham (1986) found one, while Dietz (1965) two new Ciliata species, the latter in sodic ponds in Eastern Africa. There have been recent descriptions of new species and due to the staining methods taxonomical revision of a lot of species has been carried out. Until now Foissner (pers. comm.) has described more than 500 new species. In this study new Hungarian Ciliata species from the small alkaline water-bodies and various subtypes of solonetz soils of the Hortobágy National Park are discussed. At the same time the importance of the research of Hungarian alkaline biotopes is emphasised.