The Biology and Ecology of Tintinnid Ciliates: Models for Marine Plankton (Hardcover)

CONTRIBUTORS vii

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION TO TINTINNIDS 1

1.1 Why a book on tintinnid ciliates? 2

1.2 What is a tintinnid ciliate? 3

1.3 The lorica as the defining characteristic of tintinnid ciliates 3

1.4 History of tintinnid studies 7

1.5 Tintinnids as model organisms for marine plankton 13

1.6 Key points 16

Acknowledgments 16

CHAPTER 2 THE TINTINNID LORICA 17

2.1 Introduction 18

2.2 Diversity formation and variability of loricae 19

2.3 Ultrastructure of loricae 32

2.4 Chemical composition of loricae 35

2.5 Lorica sedimentation 40

2.6 Key points 41

Acknowledgments 41

CHAPTER 3 SYSTEMATICS AND EVOLUTION OF TINTINNID CILIATES 42

3.1 Introduction 43

3.2 History of tintinnid taxonomy and systematics 44

3.3 Evolution of tintinnids 49

3.4 How to read the tintinnid cladogram 64

3.5 Molecular analysis and comparison with morphologic data 69

3.6 Systematics 75

3.7 Comparison with the evolution of related planktonic ciliates: the aloricate choreotrichids oligotrichids and halteriids 81

3.8 Key points 83

Acknowledgments 84

CHAPTER 4 ECOPHYSIOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR OF TINTINNIDS 85

4.1 Introduction 86

4.2 Feeding 86

4.3 Growth 99

4.4 Swimming behavior 106

4.5 Response to abiotic factors and interactions with biotic factors 111

4.6 Tintinnids as models and in models 114

4.7 Key points 121

Acknowledgments 121

CHAPTER 5 PREDATORS OF TINTINNIDS 122

5.1 Introduction 123

5.2 Predators of tintinnids 133

5.3 Anti-predator defenses of tintinnids 141

5.4 Top-down control of tintinnids 142

5.5 Importance of tintinnids as prey for the predator 143

5.6 Tintinnids as vectors for algal toxins 143

5.7 Key points 144

Acknowledgments 144

CHAPTER 6 PARASITES OF TINTINNIDS 145

6.1 Background 146

6.2 Dinoflagellate parasites: morphology and infection cycle 149

6.3 Molecular evolution of dinoflagellates parasitizing tintinnids 160

6.4 Ecology of tintinnid parasites 165

6.5 Summary and future directions 169

6.6 Key points 169

Acknowledgments 170

CHAPTER 7 COMPARATIVE BIOLOGY OF TINTINNID CYSTS 171

7.1 Introduction 172

7.2 Morphology 173

7.3 Encystment and excystment 176

7.4 Ecological function of cysts 182

7.5 Key points 184

Acknowledgments 185

CHAPTER 8 FOSSIL TINTINNIDS 186

8.1 Introduction: a paucity of data 187

8.2 Proterozoic tintinnids: no evidence of a beginning 187

8.3 Paleozoic tintinnid reports: too thin to know 191

8.4 Mesozoic tintinnids and calpionellids: same shape different composition 191

8.5 Cenozoic tintinnids: sparse 192

8.6 Organic and agglutinated phanerozoic fossils: the most likely candidates 193

8.7 Conclusions and perspectives 195

8.8 Key points 197

Acknowledgments 197

CHAPTER 9 TINTINNIDS IN MICROZOOPLANKTON COMMUNITIES 198

9.1 Ecology of microzooplankton 199

9.2 Quantitative importance of tintinnids in microzooplankton assemblages 205

9.3 Characteristics that set tintinnids apart from other microzooplankton 211

9.4 Key points 212

Acknowledgments 213

CHAPTER 10 DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS OF TINTINNIDS 214

10.1 Introduction 215

10.2 Biogeography 215

10.3 Assemblages of coastal systems 233

10.4 Assemblages of open waters 239

10.5 Key points 241

Acknowledgments 243

REFERENCES 244

ORGANISM INDEX 288

SUBJECT INDEX 293