Associative behaviour and antagonism of bovine rumen ciliate (Protista, Ciliophora) from Zona da Mata, Minas Gerais State, Brazil

Aiming at obtaining the community profile and verifying the occurrence of antagonism and association among ciliates, samples of rumen content were analysed in 100 bovines soon after their death. The animals were killed at the Juiz de Fora Municipal slaughter house (Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais State, Brazil) between August 1996 and May 1997. Ciliates occurred, respectively, in the following percents and samples number: Entodinium Stein, 1859 (50,48; 100), Diplodinium Schuberg, 1888 (5,59; 98), Eudiplodinium Dogiel, 1927 (6,91; 97), Ostracodinium Dogiel, 1927 (9,68; 95), hotricha Stein, 1859 (4,1...