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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Ceratotrocha

Ceratotrocha Bryce, 1910

ref. ID; 1663

Corona with two hornlike processes. Several rare species in mosses, especially Sphagnum. (ref. ID; 1663)
  1. Ceratotrocha cornigera (Bryce, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 1923, 2272, 3136, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)
    Syn; Callidina cornigera Bryce, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3136, 3688); Ceratotrocha cornigera (Bryce, 1910) (ref. ID; 1345, 3136)
  2. Ceratotrocha franzi Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
  3. Ceratotrocha rodewaldi Donner, 1961 (ref. ID; 2686 original paper)
  4. Ceratotrocha velata Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3688)

Ceratotrocha cornigera (Bryce, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 1923, 2272, 3136, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)

Synonym

Callidina cornigera Bryce, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3136, 3688); Ceratotrocha cornigera (Bryce, 1910) (ref. ID; 1345, 3136)

Descriptions

Light brown at first with many oil globules, later became lighter in colour with less and small oil globes. Lamellae very large and capable of independent movement. The large horn-like processes of the upper lip are also very flexible and usually cover the discs so that only the cilia are seen. A very restless feeder unlike all other Bdelloids seen, preferred to feed right amongst the moss particles on the slide with the head surrounded and the trunk and foot clear, apparently using the 'horns' to ward off small pieces of moss. Fairly strong longitudinal folds, spurs cut out on outer edges, wide interspace. (ref. ID; 2272)

The body is narrow, colourless and transparent. The neck is distinctly developed, the surface of the trunk is strongly ridged. The foot is almost always retracted. In moving the shape of the body changes very often and very much. The wheel-organ is weak and narrow. The wheel-discs are placed very low pedicels, these are moderately inclined to the ventral side of the body and they touch at the inner borders. The lateral borders of the lower lip run on either side of the head out into one long horn-shaped appendage, the base of which is very wide and the tip very narrow, fine and blunt. Very often one from these two corners is shorter than the second. Where the pointed tips of the corners begin, the corners are usually curved like segments. Sometimes both corners stretch the mouth-opening in the creeping action. According to Murray these appendages form sensitive organs. The rostrum is long and narrow. The rostral lamellae are very well developed, they are very large, circular and on the sides they exceed distinctly the width of the rostrum and they are adnexed to the rostrum so, that they appear similar to the wings of a butterfly. In contradiction to all other Bdelloidea (except Adineta lomngirostris Murray), where the rostral lamellae are immobile. The lamellae in this species make independent movements so that the likeness to butterfly-wings is still fully strengthened. The dorsal antenna is short, it is hardly 1/4 the neck-width. The foot is short and four-jointed. (ref. ID; 3136)
  • Egg: The egg is small, oval, and smooth. (ref. ID; 3136)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 250; length of feeding animal 150; horn width 51, length 42; length of unci 18; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 51 µm. Dorsal antenna half neck width; dental formula 2/2. (ref. ID; 2272)

    The length of the body is 250 to 347 um. (ref. ID; 3136)