Deviata estevesi sp n. (Ciliophora: Spirotrichea), a new ciliate protist from a restinga lagoon in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

In samples collected from the Cabiunas Lagoon, located in the north region of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, we found Deviata estevesi sp. n., a spirotrich ciliate protist characterized as: Deviata measuring 80-110 x 25-50 mu m in vivo, body flexible and contractile; narrowed at the anterior end and broad at the posterior end; cortical granules absent; dark coloration under dissection microscope. Cirri arranged in seven rows right of adoral zone of membranelles and four rows left of it. Contractile vacuole located in the left mid-body, away from the margins. Buccal cirrus lacking. Macronucleus usually composed of two small ovoid or elliptical nodules. Two dorsal kinetics, with right kinety posterior shortened. Stomatogenesis begins with oral primordium of the opisthe developing from very close to the terminal cirrus of row R3.