Free-living marine interstitial hypotrichid cillâtes from Jubail marine wildlife sanctuary in the Arabian Gulf

Abstract EN

Sediment samples were collected at low tide from various localities of the Jubail Marme Wildlife Sanctuary in the Arabian Gulf on several occasions during 1996-1997 for the study of the marine interstirial ciliate fauna of the Sanctuary.

Twenty three species belonging to the order Hypotrichida were identified after protargol impregnation, 20 of which represent new records ofthe fauna of Saudi Arabia, and ofthe Arabian Gulf at large.

The disfribution ofeach species is compared to those in similar habitats worldwide.

The present study increases the total known number of hypotrichid ciliates species in Saudi Arabia to 40 species.