Rumen Entodiniid Ciliated Protozoan Fauna (Entodiniomorphida: Entodiniidae) of Domestic Sheep (Ovis ammon aries L.) from Northern Cyprus, with a Description of a New Species, Entodinium cypriensis sp nov.

WOS: 000265870500006Rumen contents obtained from 10 adult domestic sheep (Ovis ammon aries L.) at a slaughterhouse in Lapethos-Kyrenia (Girne), Northern Cyprus were surveyed for entodiniid ciliate protozoa. As a result of our survey 27 species. including 33 forms, were identified. An unusual form of Entodinium was observed in 2 sheep and is described as a new species, E. cypriensis sp. nov. Its relationship to similar Entodinium species is discussed. This study also reports new host records for E. imai. E. oektemae. E. ogimotoi, E. quadricuspis, E. rectangulatum f. dubardi, and E rostratum. Furthermore, we report for the second time the presence of E. biconcavum, E. costatum, E. dalli f. rudidorsospinatum, E. protuberans, E. rectangulatum f. lobosospinosum, E. simulans f. lobosospinosum, E. triacum f. dextrum, E. williamsi f. williamsi, and E. w. f. turcicum in sheep hosts. All species detected in this study are first reports in Cypriot sheep hosts. The entodiniid ciliate fauna of Cypriot domestic sheep appears to have greater diversity compared to those of sheep in different geographical locations (Turkey. China, Japan, Scotland. USA, Canada, and Alaska).TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey)Turkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Arastirma Kurumu (TUBITAK); EBILTEM (Ege University Research and Application Center of Science and Technology)Ege University [TBAC-HD/96 (105T517), 2007/BIL/009]We should like to express our gratitude to Res. Ass. Mehmet Zulfu YILDIZ and Res. Ass. Kerim CiCEK (Ege University, Izmir) for their help with the cluster analysis and drawings of the new ciliate species. We are also indebted to TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) and EBILTEM (Ege University Research and Application Center of Science and Technology) for their financial support of a new microscopical and imaging system [projects TBAC-HD/96 (105T517) and 2007/BIL/009, respectively]