Dendrosoma radians Ehrenberg, 1838

Fig. 2 a.

Suctorian ciliate with very large (up to 5 mm) branched body. Several fascicles of tentacles placed at the numerous actinophores which are elevated over the substrate. Single macronucleus branched reaching the actinophores. Micronuclei are numerous. The shape of body is extremely variable depending on the type of substrate. Thus at the more or less flat substrate the individuals (especially young), have irregularly shaped flattened body with short, unramified actinophores, whereas on complex sufaces, i.e. aquatic invertebrates, the body might be dendritic with long branched actinophores. Reproduction by multiple endogenous budding.

Dimensions of individuals: body width 150–380; actinophore length 30–140; length of tentacles 10–30. Previous measurements: vertical length until 550; length of tentacles 75–90.

Material examined. Found as epibiont of: Ranatra linearis . Ukraine. Lake Lyubyaz’ near village Lyubyaz’ (high-water bed of Pripyat’ river), Volyn’ region, 0 8.06.1986. Aphelocheirus aestivalis . Ukraine. Psel river near village Kamennoe. 17.07.1988.

Additional records. On artificial substrate (Jones, 1974; Coats & Clamp, 2009). On aquatic plants, Ceratophyllum, Callitriche Linnaeus, Elodea Michaux, Myriophyllum Ponted, algae, Cordylophora Allman, Phragmites Adanson, Polygonum Linnaeus, gammarids from Baikal lake (Matthes et al. 1988); on Brandtia latissima (Gerstfeldt), Odontogammarus pulcherrimus Dorogostaisky, Pallasea cancellus (Pallas), Echinogammarus maacki Stebbing, Hyalellopsis czyrniankii Stebing (Fernandez-Leborans & Tato-Porto, 2000) .