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A compilation of the ciliate epibiont species (Ciliophora) found on marine and fresh water cnidarians has been carried out based on published records. The checklist includes the taxonomic position of each species of epibiontic ciliate, the species of basibiont cnidarians, the geographic zones and the bibliographic references where they were recorded. Cnidarians, especially colonial sessile forms, represent suitable substrates for numerous sessile and vagile ciliates. Altogether 79 ciliate species belong to five classes viz. Spirotrichea, Heterotrichea, Phyllopharingea, Suctorea and Oligohymenophorea were listed. The most diverce as epibions on cnidarians are representatives of Suctorea with 41 species and Peritrichia (under the class Oligohymenophorea) with 25 species. Three species belong to class Spirotrichea, four Heterotrichea and one Phyllopharingea. Among the other representatives (except Peritrichia) of class Oligohymenophorea, four species belong to subclass Scutucociliatia, one species each in subclass Hymenostomatia and Apostomatia. One suctorian species Ophryodendron abietinum and two species of peritrichs, Cothurnia cordylophora and Rhabdostyla sertularium one Heterotrichea Halofolliculina corallasia and one Scutucociliatia Philaster guamensis are likely specific to cnidarian hosts only.

Trichophrya mirabilis Sand, 1899 Record as epibiont on cnidarias: The species was originally described on hydroids from the Mediterranean coast of France near Banyuls-sur-Mer (cf. Kahl 1934). Remarks: This species has not been reported afterwards., Published as part of Chatterjee, Tapas, Dovgal, Igor & Fernandez-Leborans, Gregorio, 2021, A checklist of ciliates (Ciliophora) inhabiting on cnidarians, pp. 151-178 in Zootaxa 5039 (2) on page 163, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5039.2.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5508963, {"references":["Kahl, A. (1934) Suctoria. In: Grimpe, G. & Wagler, E. (Eds.), Die Tierwelt der Nord- und Ostsee, 26, 184 - 226."]}

Trichophrya epistylidis Claparède & Lachmann, 1859 Body shape irregular with six fascicles, each of which bears approximately 12 capitate tentacles; the macronucleus is branched; about twelve contractile vacuoles arranged in the periphery of the cell. Known previous records. There are no worldwide previous records on families Cambaridae and Pseudothelphusidae. On other crustaceans this species was previously recorded on Asellus sp., Gammarus sp., Carinogammarus sp. and on Pontastacus leptodactylus (cited as Astacus leptodactylus) (Matthes & Guhl 1988; Fernandez-Leborans & Tato-Porto 2000)., Published as part of Ramírez-Ballesteros, Mireya & Mayén-Estrada, Rosaura, 2019, Suctorians (Ciliophora: Suctoria) as epibionts of decapods of families Cambaridae and Pseudothelphusidae, pp. 384-392 in Zootaxa 4648 (2) on page 390, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4648.2.11, http://zenodo.org/record/3354798, {"references":["Matthes, D., Guhl, W. & Haider, G. (1988) Suctoria und Urceolariidae. Protozoenfauna. Band 7 / 1. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, 309 pp.","Fernandez-Leborans, G. & Tato-Porto, M. (2000) A review of the species of protozoan epibionts on crustaceans. II. Suctorian Ciliates. Crustaceana, 73 (10), 1205 - 1327. https: // doi. org / 10.1163 / 156854000505209"]}

Epibiosis is common among ciliates and crustaceans because the calcified surface of the crustacean body offers a suitable site for colonization by the epibiont. Suctoria are among the most common epibiont ciliate groups of freshwater decapod crustaceans. The aim of this study is to increase knowledge of suctorians as epibionts of freshwater decapod crustaceans of the families Cambaridae and Pseudothelphusidae. Crustaceans were collected from three rivers and one pond in Chiapas, Mexico. Six species of suctorian epibionts were recorded: Acineta tuberosa, Podophrya maupasi, P. sandi, Tokophrya cyclopum, T. quadripartita and Trichophrya epistylidis. This is the first record of ciliate epibionts on members of family Pseudothelphusidae (represented by Phrygiopilus montebelloensis and Raddaus bocourti), and the first record of suctorians epibionts on Procambarus (Austrocambarus) sp. (Cambaridae).