Phylogenetic Analyses of Trichodinids (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophora) Inferred from 18S rRNA Gene Sequence Data

Partial 18S rRNA gene sequences of the three trichodinids, namely Trichodina modesta Lom, 1970, Trichodina paraheterodentata Tang and Zhao 2012. and Trichodinella epizootica (Raabe 1950) ramek-Huek, 1953, were acquired and used to construct phylogenetic trees. The results revealed that Trichodinella epizootica clustered with Trichodinella sp.; Trichodina paraheterodentata Tang and Zhao 2012 was sister to the clade composed of Trichodina heterodentata Duncan, 1977 and Trichodina nobilis Chen, 1963; Trichodina modesta Lom, 1970 clustered with Trichodina reticulata Hirschman and Partsch, 1955. The branching order of species within the Mobilia clade was closely correlated with GC content. Furthermore, blade morphology was also found to be the primary morphological character in determining the phylogenetic relationships among members of the genus Trichodina. The present findings suggest that the genus Trichodina is paraphyletic when species of Trichodinella are included in the analyses.