Itura

Itura Harring & Myers, 1928

ref. ID; 1663

With a projecting auricle on each side of the head, each auricle bearing long cilia. Foot segmented. Trophi asymmetrical. Rami lyrate, broad, and strongly divergent at the base continuing as parallel rods toward the tips. With a cervical eyespot and two frontal eyespots. Littoral species. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Without gastric glands, but with anterior cecae instead. Uncus hinged near its mid-length to tip of ramus. Stomach with zoochlorellae. (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 2897

The genus Itura was traditionally considered as apart of the Notommatidae, the "respository of everything not readily placed elsewhere" (Koste & Shiel 1991). Recently, Markevich (1990) erected a new family to accommodate the genus Itura, based on the observation that the trophi of Itura is forcipate, as in the Dicranophoridae, and not virgate like in the Notommatidae. Further, the trophi of Itura is non-protusible, as in the Notommatidae, rather than protrusible, as in the Dicranophoridae. That Itura does not belong to the Notommatidae is indeed obvious. The arguments of Harring & Myers (1928) for considering Itura's trophi as virgate are weak, can be traced back to misinterpreted observations, or are incorrect. We tentatively agree with Markevich's (1990) conclusion, that the genus Itura belongs to and is the type genus (by monotypy) of the family Ituridae, awaiting a generic revision of the Dicranophoridae. Markevich's (1990) proposition, however, needs more substantiation than he provides in his far too brief diagnosis. Some additional characters of the Ituridae are: (1) Species of Itura are herbi- and detritivores: most dicranophorids are carnivores. (2) The corona has a distinct pair of lateral projections. (3) Stomach diverticula are filled with symbiotic zoochlorellae, visible as greenish to brownish glassy concentrations (also the case in some Dicranophoridae, e.g. some Encentrum). (ref. ID; 2897)

Itura articulata Rodewald, 1935 (ref. ID; 2019, 3688)
Syn; Dicranophorus articulatus Rodewald, 1935 (ref. ID; 3688)
Itura aurita (Ehrenberg, 1830) (ref. ID; 1345, 1923, 2757, 2842, 2897, 3688), aurita aurita (Ehrenberg, 1830) stat. nov. (ref. ID; 2019)
Syn; Dicranophorus auritus Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Diglena aurita Ehrenberg, 1830 (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 2757, 3688); Eosphora aurita Werneck, 1836 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688); Eosphora canicula Iroso, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Furcularia canicula Dujardin, 1841 (ref. ID; 3688); Itura aurita Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Itura aurita f. intermedia Wulfert, 1935 (ref. ID; 2897); Itura cayuga Harring & Myers, 1938 (ref. ID; 2897); Itura proterva Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 2019, 2897); Itura symbiotica Kozar, 1911 (ref. ID; 2897); Notommata symbiotica Kozar, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Typhilna canicula Ehrenberg, 1831 (ref. ID; 1345) or Hemprich & Ehrenberg, 1831 (ref. ID; 3688)
Itura aurita f. intermedia Wulfert (ref. ID; 2897), var. intermedia Wulfert, 1935 (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 2266, 2640, 2842, 2932, 3271, 3688)
See; Itura aurita (ref. ID; 2897)
Syn; Furcularia aurita Lamarck, 1816 (ref. ID; 3271); Notommata aurita Ehrenberg, 1830 (ref. ID; 3271); Notommata lupus Eyferth, 1877 (ref. ID; 3271); Vorticella aurita O.F. Muller, 1786 (ref. ID; 3271)
Itura aurita var. cayuga (Harring & Myers, 1928) Koste, 1978 (ref. ID; 2019)
Syn; Synonymous with I. aurita according to Koste (1978) and Segers et al. (1994) (ref. ID; 2019)
Itura cayuga Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 1345)
See; Itura aurita (ref. ID; 2897), Itura aurita var. cayuga (ref. ID; 2019)
Itura chamadis Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 2796, 2897, 7846)
Itura claviger Hauer, 1965 (ref. ID; 2265 original paper, 2545)
See; Dicranophoroides claviger (ref. ID; 2019)
Itura deridderae Segers, 1993 (ref. ID; 1324, 2019, 2844 original paper, 2897)
Syn; ?Itura globata Rodewald-Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2019)
Itura globata Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2019, 2897, 3688) or Rodewald-Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2627 original paper)
Itura myersi Wulfert, 1935 (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 2019, 2640, 2897, 3271, 3506, 3688) reported autor and year? (ref. ID; 7065)
Itura proterva Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 1345)
See; Itura aurita aurita (ref. ID; 2019, 2897)
Itura pseudoaurita Koch-Althaus, 1962 (ref. ID; 2019, 2268, 2842 original paper, 2897)
Itura symmetrica Segers, Mbogo & Dumont, 1994 (ref. ID; 1324, 2019, 2897 original paper)
Itura viridis (Stenroos, 1898) (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 2897, 3688)
Syn; Dicranophorus viridis Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Eosphora viridis Stenroos, 1898 (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 3688); Itura viridis Harring & Myers, 1928 (ref. ID; 1345, 2019, 3688)

Itura deridderae Segers, 1993 (ref. ID; 1324, 2019, 2844 original paper, 2897)

Synonym

?Itura globata Rodewald-Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2019)

Diagnosis

This new Itura is close to Itura myersi Wulfert, in having an identical fulcrum. The differences between the two species are summarized as follows. Characteristics of I. deridderae (characteristics of I. myersi). (ref. ID; 2844)

Toes: long, slender (short, tapered)
Inner proximal lamella of manubria: elongate, acute (triangular, tip bifid)
Unci: subequal teeth (unequal teeth)
Rami: no inner lamellae - rudiment visible under SEM only - (asymmetrical inner lamellae) tips smooth - details visible under SEM only - (tips with teeth)
Oral plates: relatively small (relatively large)
Epipharynx: conspicuous, complicated structure (small, simple) (ref. ID; 2844)

Descriptions

Contracted specimens ovoid, intestine green, filled with glassy brown concretions. Frontal eyes conspicuous, with large, round lenses in a cup of red pigment. Foot with three pseudosegments, toes slender, relatively long. Trophus: Manubria normal, with long recurved hooks distally, inner proximal lamella elongated. Unci with subequal teeth, basal projection triangular. Rami lyriform, symmetrical. Rami tips centrally with 6-8 fused, inwards-directed teeth, dorsally with inwards-directed projection, bearing some curved teeth, and with terminal fissure. Inner edge of left ramus with rudimentary ridge. L-shaped oral plates present, fitted in terminal fissure of rami tips, bearing up to 13 teeth. Alulae hooklike. Fulcrum short, broad in lateral view. Epipharynx large, horn-shaped, with soft lateral projections reaching the rami tips, a median stalk and symmetrical, denticulate lamellae. (ref. ID; 2844)

Male: Male unknown. (ref. ID; 2844)

Etymology

The species is named for Dr. M. De Ridder, in recognition of her contribution to the knowledge of African Rotifera. (ref. ID; 2844)

Measurements

Toe length 20-24; rami length 33-34, width 21-23; manubrium length 45-47; inner lamella length 13-14; uncus length 25-27 µm. (ref. ID; 2844)

Itura globata Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2019, 2897, 3688) or Rodewald-Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 2627 original paper)

Descriptions

Itura globata were insufficiently figured and described, and no types had been designated. (ref. ID; 2897)

Itura myersi Wulfert, 1935 (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 2019, 2640, 2897, 3271, 3506, 3688) reported autor and year? (ref. ID; 7065)

Descriptions

The contracted material of this species was identified only on the basis of the structure of the mastax. However the mastax is sufficiently characteristic to diagnose this species. The fulcrum of the mastax is very short. The unci have two long teeth. The alulae on the lateral margin of the rami are leaf-like. (ref. ID; 1847)

Trophi: SEM photograph. (ref. ID; 7065)

Itura symmetrica Segers, Mbogo & Dumont, 1994 (ref. ID; 1324, 2019, 2897 original paper)

Descriptions

Parthenogenetic female: Contracted specimens ovoid, intestine green to brownish, filled with glassy concretions. Frontal eyes with red pigment, no distinct lenses. Foot with three pseudosegments, toes short, conical with obtuse tips. Trophi: Manubria with expanded proximal part, inner proximal lamella triangular. Shaft elongate, posterior end recurved. Unci with two subequal teeth, basal projection triangular, relatively large. Rami lyriform, slightly curved in lateral view, nearly symmetrical. Rami tips ventrally with a group of unequal, fused, inward-directed teeth and oral plate, the former visible using SEM only. Inner lamellae, consisting of subequal, fused teeth present dorsally on proximal third of both rami. Oral plates L-shaped, smooth, connecting rami-tips with tips of inner proximal lamellae of manubria. Fulcrum rather short, broadest near connection with rami, rounded distally, with short, rounded extension projecting between rami. Epipharynx small, V-shaped, dissolves in sodium hypochlorite. (ref. ID; 2897)

Male: Male unknown. (ref. ID; 2897)

Comments

I. symmetrica sp. nov. can be confused with I. chamadis Harring & Myers, as only these two species possess symmetrical inner lamellae on the rami. However, I. symmetrica differs from I. chamadis by the shape of these lamellae (semicircular in I. chamadis, nearly rectangular in I. symmetrica), the shape of the fulcrum lateral view (beak-like in I. chamadis), and by the presence of oral plates and of an epipharynx in I. symmetrica. I. chamadis is also reported to have extraordinarily long toes, another character not shared with I. symmetrica. Although contracted, the new species is easily recognized by the shape of its trophi. (ref. ID; 2897)

Etymology

The specific name symmetrica is an adjective, referring to the near-symmetry of the species' trophi. (ref. ID; 2897)

Type locality

Ahero irrigation scheme I: a shallow, artificially irrigated rice field, 24 km east of Kisumu. 35 degrees 55', 0 degrees 10'S, Kenya. (ref. ID; 2897)

Measurements

Toe length 11-17; rami length 23-24, width 14-15; manubrium length 30-31; inner lamella length 6; uncus length 16-18; fulcrum length (incl. proximal projection) 15 µm. (ref. ID; 2897)