Table 8 Comparative morphology of selected freshwater Frontonia species

Average body length (μm)

250

180

173

335

341

293

116

170

Cytostome/body length ratio

1/5–1/8

1/7

1/6

1/8–1/9

1/10

1/10

1/5

1/4

Somatic kineties, number

115

104

100

187

180–200

166–208

94

105

Peniculi (I, II, III), number

4–5, 4–5, 4–5

5, 5, 5

5, 5, 5

4–5, 4–5, 4–5

4, 4, 4

4, 4, 4

5–4, 3, 2

4–5, 4–5, 4–5

Vestibular kineties, number

3

3

3

3

3

3

4

3

Postoral kineties, number

6

5–6

6

6–8

6–7

6–7

4

4–6

Micronuclei, number

2–9

2–3

2–4

1

8^a

6–14

1

1

Micronuclei, size (μm)

ND

3–5

1.5–2

7–8^a

ND

1.5–2.3

7^a

5–8

CVC, number

~ 10

8–11

7–8

10–12

~ 15

10–14

Absent

Absent

CVC, structure

Long, twisted

Long, twisted

Long, twisted

Branched

Long, straight

Long, straight

Absent

Absent

PCV, number

1

1

1

1

1

1–3

2–4

1

References

[3, 4]

Present study

Present study

[25]

[15, 46]

Present study

[7]

[25]