First record of Trichodinella epizootica (Raabe, 1950) Sramek-Husek, 1953, with description of Trichodina notopteridae sp n. (Ciliophora: Peritrichida) from freshwater fishes of India

Very few studies of ectoparasitic trichodinid ciliophorans occurring on edible fish in India have been done. During surveys of the trichodinid parasites in the Churni River, India, one each species of the genus Trichodina and Trichodinella from the gills of freshwater fishes were investigated and morphologically studied. Of these, one is Trichodinella epizootica (Raabe, 1950) Sramek-Husek, 1953 found for the first time in India from the gills of a minor carp Puntius gelius (Hamilton-Buchanan) and the other is described as new: Trichodina notopteridae sp.n. from the gills of Notopterus notopterus (Pallas). Taxonomic descriptions of these trichodinids based on the wet silver nitrate impregnated specimens are presented. For the new species comparisons with closely related species are provided.