Zootelma (from other Greek ζῷον - “living creature”, “animal” + τέλμα, ατός - “standing water”, “swamp”) is a small reservoir located on the animal and forming a habitat for others, mainly microscopic creatures. As in the case of phytothelates , which are small bodies of water in plant cavities, a biocenosis of aquatic organisms is formed, the species of which are usually found only in this habitat.
A well-studied example of zootelma is the gills of woodlice , which are located in the abdominal cavity and are always supplied with water. A special fauna of gills arose here, which can consist of nematodes (Nematoda) of the genus Matthesonema [1] , rotifers of the genus Mniobia and various freely floating or immovable ciliates , for example, the genus Ballodora [2] . The ancestors of these animals come partly from the sea and partly from the soil of terrestrial habitats. They specialized in lifestyle in the gills of woodlice. During molting of the host animals, they leave the discarded cuticle of the gill space and swim into the newly formed gill space.
Another example of zootelma is the saliva of pennies , in which ciliates live [2] .
Notes
- ↑ Günther Osche: Über die Vergesellschaftung von Nematoden und Crustaceen, mit einer Beschreibung von Matthesonema tylosa ngn sp. (Nematoda) aus dem Kiemenraum einer Assel. Zoologischer Anzeiger 155, S. 253-262, 1955.
- ↑ 1 2 Rudolf Röttger: Wörterbuch der Protozoologie . Protozoological Monographs Bd. 2, Shaker Verlag, Aachen 2001. ISBN 3-8265-8599-2 .
Literatur
- L. Varga: Ein interessanter Biotop der Biocönose von Wasserorganismen. Biologisches Zentralblatt, 48, 1928, S. 143–162