Conidophrys fucatum (Averinzeff, 1916) comb. n., charact. emend.

(Fig. 1 A–D, 3A–G, 4B–D)

Mycodinium fucatum Averinzeff, 1916: 183

Conidophrys pilisuctor Chatton et Lwoff, 1934: 697, syn. n. Mycodinium pilisuctor (Chatton et Lwoff, 1934) Jankowski, 2007: 880, syn. n.

Parasites attached to secretory setae of amphipod crustaceans, feeds on host exudate. The trophont body subcylindrical, elongated, somewhat tapered towards their union with long seta, and fully enclosed by cyst. When the ciliate attachs to a short host seta, the latter is completely covered by the lower thickened part of the cyst. The trophont infraciliature consists of two lateral fields each of them with six sub-longitudinal kineties. Single proximal contractile vacuole at the opposite edge of the body attachment area. There is one macronucleus and one micronucleus. Reproduction by successive linear division (palintomy), producing 1 to 3 (in rare cases from 5 to 6) swarmers. Discoidal swarmers, with a deep depression at the antapical region. Tomite ciliature with 1 to 5 kineties placed on the periphery of the body.

Measurements (in µm): Trophont body length 37.1–88.5 (mean 61.5) (50–60 after Chatton and Lwoff, 1934); body diameter 13.0–32.0 (mean 20.2) (about 15 after Chatton and Lwoff, 1934); cyst wall thickness 0.8–3.6 (mean 2.1) (about 2 after Chatton and Lwoff, 1934).

Type host: Caprella sp.

Type locality: the Adriatic Sea near Trieste (Italy).