Prototricoma
Prototricoma Timm, 1970 (ref. ID; 3571)
Desmoscolecida Filipjev, 1929: Family Desmoscolecidae Shipley, 1896: Subfamily Desmoscolecinae Shipley, 1896 (ref. ID; 3571)
ref. ID; 878
Body cuticle with homonomous annulation; each annule provided with hairy spines or pores. Female reproductive system didelphic-amphidelphic; spermathecae present or absent. The males in Prototricoma have clearly only one testis. Consequently Prototricoma belongs to the Desmoscolecinae and not to the Tricominae as Lorenzen stated without comment. Prototricoma with four species, forms apparently a rather heterogeneous group. However, the Prototricoma-species represent several intermediate forms between the Tricominae and the Desmoscolex-group. (ref. ID; 878)
ref. ID; 3571
Type species
Protoricoma longicauda Timm, 1970 (ref. ID; 3571)
- Prototricoma dherdei Decraemer, 1978 (ref. ID; 878)
- Prototricoma inaequalis Decraemer, 1984 (ref. ID; 878)
- Protoricoma longicauda Timm, 1970 (ref. ID; 878, 3571)
- Prototricoma paralongicauda Decraemer, 1984 (ref. ID; 878)
Descriptions
This species closely resembles the genus Desmoscolex, showing faintly marked main rings, without desmen or patches of desmos. Since only one adult specimen was found, the absence of desmen may be casual, accidental. Therefore Decraemer prefer to consider P. aherdei as belonging to the genus Desmoscolex as D. dherdei n. comb. (ref. ID; 878)
Descriptions
This species shows a clear desmoscolecoid-shaped endring and a differentiation in shape and length between sub-dorsal and sub-ventral somatic setae. The body annulation is still homonomous; the annules are provided with pores. The head-shape is more or less tricomoid. (ref. ID; 878)
Descriptions
This species is closest to the Tricominae by its habitus: a relatively slender body with a homonomous cuticular annulation, provided with hairy spines and a hardly marked desmoscolecoid endring (without clear indentation nor bend at the level of the insertion of the terminal pair of sub-dorsal somatic setae). The somatic setae differ sub-dorsally and sub-ventrally in length but not in shape. The internal organisation is typically desmoscolecoid, with the male possessing one testis. (ref. ID; 878)
Descriptions
The descomoscolecoid differentiation of the endring is more apparent. (ref. ID; 878)