Agglutinated loricae of some Baltic and Antarctic Tintinnina species (Ciliophora)

The abundance and species composition of diatoms adhering to the loricae of four agglut- inated Tintinnina species, Laackmanniella naviculaefera, Codonellopsis gaussi, OLbalechi and Tintinnopsis lobiancoi, were determined. Diatoms from the Fragdariopsis group, F.cylindrus and F.pseudonana, dominated on tintinnid loricae from the Antarctic waters, whilst Thalassiosira spp. were predominant on loricae from the Baltic Sea. Although tintinnids utilized diatoms in the environment, it is not a rule that they use only these which are dominant. Our results suggest that certain diatoms are actively selected and agglutinated by particular tintinnid species.