Ciliated Protozoan Fauna in the Forestomach of Dromedary Camels (Camelus dromedarius) in Libya

Species composition and distribution of ciliated protozoa obtained from the forestomach of 20 dromedary camels living in Zawiya, Libya were examined. Nineteen species and 10 morphotypes belonging to eight genera were identified. The mean number of ciliates was 54.2 +/- 32.9 x 10(4) cells ml(-1) the forestomach contents, and the mean number of ciliate species per host was 6.5 +/- 2.9. Entodinium and Epidinium were the main genera, as these ciliates were found consistently at higher proportions than those of the other genera. In contrast, Ophryoscolex and Polyplastron were only observed at low frequencies. Diplodinium rangiferi, Entodinium ellipsoideum, E. simulans, and Polyplastron multivesiculatum were new endosymbionts recorded from camels.