Studies on some new and rare Reported Marine Planktonic Ciliates (Ciliophora: Oligotrichia) from Coastal Waters in North China

Eight marine oligotrichous ciliates including one new genus, two new combinations, and five new species collected from the Yellow Sea, north-eastern China, are morphologically and biometrically investigated based on observations of living specimens and permanent preparations after protargol impregnation: Strombidium tintinnodes; Novistrombidium testaceum gen. nov., comb. nov. (formerly Strombidium testaceum); Tontonia turbinata sp. nov.; Pelagostrobilidium simile sp. nov.; Rimostrombidium orientale sp. nov.; Strombidinopsis elongata sp. nov.; Strombidinopsis elegans sp. nov., and Strombidinopsis minima comb. nov. (formerly Strobilidium minimum). Four junior synonyms are considered: Strombidium oculatum; S. obliquum; S. hadai and Strombidinopsis cheshiri. A comparison with other known members within Strombidiidae resulted in the establishment of a new genus, Novistrombidium gen. nov. It is similar to Strombidium but characterized by the conspicuously opened girdle kinety with a large gap on its ventral side, through which the ventral kinety extends.