COI based phylogeny and morphological characterization of a Brazilian population of Lambornella trichoglossa (Ciliophora: Tetrahymenidae)

In this work, the morphological characterization and molecular phylogeny (SSU rDNA and COI) of Lambornella trichoglossa Foissner, 2003, found in phytotelmata environments in southeastern Brazil is presented. The morphological study performed with silver impregnation techniques demonstrated parameters similar to those recorded in the type population, and additional new information was also obtained, including the conjugation process and the occurrence of specimens with an increased number of caudal cilia. The phylogenetic reconstructions based on both markers suggest the inclusion of L. trichoglossa in the genus Tetrahymena Furgason, 1940. The COI sequence obtained in this work is the first mitochondrial sequence of the genus Lambornella deposited in GenBank and published in a scientific article.