Variations of the lorica in the genus Parafavella (Protozoa: Tintinnida) in northern Norway waters

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Zoology
• Main Author: Davis, Charles C.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1978
• Subjects: Animal Science and Zoology; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Northern Norway; Tromsø
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z78-248; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z78-248

Photographs were made of the loricae of 272 specimens of the tintinnid genus Parafavella, encountered in plankton samples taken in the vicinity of Tromsø, northern Norway. From the loricae alone it is impossible to distinguish among P. cylindrica, P. gigantea, P. denticulata, P. dilitata, P. obtusangula, P. parumdentata, and P. elegans. The results are compared with those of other authors working with this difficult genus. It is emphasized that additional methods for the distinction of species must be undertaken beyond simple examination of the loricae if the taxonomic obscurities of the genus are to be unravelled.