Morphology, Taxonomy and Ecology of Terrestrial Antarctic Ciliates and Testaceans (Protozoa)

Project 565: The database provides a list of species of ciliates and testate amoebae (Protozoa: Ciliophora; Testacea) recorded in various edaphic habitats, e.g., mineral soils (fellfield), ornithogenic soils, terrestrial mosses, from ice-free coastal areas and inshore islands in the area of Casey Station, Wilkes Land, coastal continental Antarctica. 26 ciliate (9 first records for continental Antarctica, 1 undescribed) and 5 testacean species (3 new records) were found. Sea ice study (Weddell Sea): The ciliate biodivesity was studied in several types of sea ice (mainly young pancake ice) from the Weddell Sea, Antarctica, in the austral autumn 1992 (March-May) during the cruise ANT X/3 of RV Polarstern. 49 ciliate species were predominantly found in sea ice and 6 spp. in the pelagial; 20 of these were new to science. A word document containing a list of species that were recorded as part of the project is available for download from the provided URL. These data have also been incorporated into the biodiversity database.