Abstract:[Objectives] Three species of moss dwelling ciliates (3 genera, 2 families) were isolated from moss in Tibet and were identified by using morphological study. [Methods] The ciliates were studied morphologically using living observation and protargol staining methods. Morphological characters of three ciliates were counted for comparison with similar species, and phylogenetic trees were constructed for molecular identification. [Results] The morphological characteristics of Tetmemena pustulata (Fig. 1), Sterkiella sp. (Fig. 2) and Gonostomum sp. (Fig. 3) were described, respectively. The morphological characters of the Tibetan population of Tetmemena pustulata remain consistent with previous descriptions, but both Sterkiella sp. and Gonostomum sp. differ from known species. The SSU rDNA gene sequences of the three ciliates were amplified and phylogenetic analysis was conducted based on these sequences (Fig. 4). These three moss dwelling ciliates in this study were found in Tibet for the first time. The results of the phylogenetic analysis showed that the Tibetan population of T. pustulata clustered with the sequence of this species sequences from GenBank, the Tibetan population of Sterkiella sp. clustered with Sterkiella paratricirrata (MN191544), and the Tibetan population of Gonostomum sp. with G. sinicum (KY475614) and Gonostomum sp. (MG603605) clustered together as one branch, but by morphological comparison, the Tibetan population of Sterkiella sp. and S. paratricirrata showed obvious different characters of morphology, and the morphological characters of Tibetan population of Gonostomum sp. also differed significantly from those of G. sinicum. [Conclusion] Based on morphological studies and phylogenetic analysis, these three ciliates are finally identified as T. pustulata, Sterkiella sp. and Gonostomum sp. This study enriches the species diversity and ecological distribution of ciliates, providing further information of ciliate protozoans biogeography. Furthermore, this study obtains three moss ciliate resources, which will provide basis for mining and usage of ciliates germplasm and genetic resources.