The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta
Kellicottia
Kellicottia Ahlstrom, 1938 (ref. ID; 7815)
Class Rotatoria: Order Ploimida: Family Brachionidae (ref. ID; 7097)
ref. ID; 1663
With one very long posterior spine and four or six anterior spines, of which three are very long. With a spinous lorica composed of two plates immovably fused laterally. Limnetic species. (ref. ID; 1663)
ref. ID; 1923
Originally included in Notholca, but removed by Ahlstrom (1938). There is evidently a certain amount of cyclomorphosis, and much variation in size and proportion of spines among different populations. Very common in plankton of lakes, less so in shallow waters. (ref. ID; 1923)
ref. ID; 3114
The type species now belonging to this genus was at first treated under the genus Anuraea by Kellicott (1879) and Imhof (1883). Next it was moved into another genus Notholca by Hudson & Gosse (1886), Harring (1913). Even Wesenberg-Lund and De Beauchamp adopted Hudson & Gosse's treatment of longispina. The new generic name Kellicottia was proposed by Ahlstrom for the simple reason that longispina has markedly long spines and is different in other ways from the species of Notholca. (ref. ID; 3114)
ref. ID; 4594
The firm lorica is triangular in outline; one or more very long spines on anterior margin; only one very long spine posteriorly. (ref. ID; 4594)
This species has 6 anterior spine. (ref. ID; 1923)
This species can be easily identified by its long thin body and long anterior and posterior spines. K. longispina has 6 anterior spines of varying length. Mental margin elevated with a 'U' shaped sinus. The anterior spines have short strengthening ridges and the lorica is not ornamented. (ref. ID; 2715)
K. longispina has at least in Japan the following eight characters: 1. In any collection, lorica is depressed dorso-ventrally, the anterior margin of the lorica has always six spines, the posterior having one spine only in the middle. 2. They do not display any remarkable variation although remarkable cyclomorphosis is reported in other countries (c.f Lake Balaton after Varga 1958, Albertova, Edmondson at the congress). In other words, the specimens always bear one very long spine on both sides parallel to the body exis. Usually the longest anterior spine is as long as the posterior spine. The antero-lateral spines are not so long, but slightly longer than those of the specimens recorded from other countries. 3. The specimens are usually found in cold water. In natural condition, therefore, they usually tend to appear in Winter, or if in Summer, the specimens may be collected from cold water of the tarn or mountain lake (Lake Nojiri is 625 m above the sea level). 4. They usually appear in the limnetic region of lakes or largest ponds (rarely also in a little region). 5. Some specimens may occur also in brackish water. 6. They carry their eggs at the caudal end of their body by means of threads (Edmondson's threads). 7. The male of this species has no foot. 8. Large non-retractile penis has a ciliary wreath at the apex. From the characters described above, we may say as follows: At first, character 1) reminds us of a fact that the present genus has in its morphological aspects some relation with the genera, Notholca, Argonotholca, Pseudonotholca, Keratella, especially Notholca, but not with Brachionus. Character 2) suggests that the present genus resembles the genera Anuraeopsis, Notholca, Argonotholca, Pseudonotholca, Keratella and some invariable species under the genera Brachionus (falcatus), Schizocerca (diversicornis). Character 3) suggests that the present genus has a closet relation to a genus Notholca. Character 4), this species seems to be related to K. cochlearis but highly different from usual Notholca, and character 5) reveals that the present genus has closer relations to such genera as Notholca, Argonotholca, Pseudonotholca, certain Keratella and Brachionus. Character 6) suggests that the species has a great resemblance with Keratella and is highly different from Notholca, Anuraeopsis and Brachionus (Sudzuki has not been acquainted with the egg-carrying habit in Argo- and Pseudo-notholca). Character 7) shows that the present species is closely related to Keratella and Notholca, but highly different from Brachionus. With regard to character 8) Sudzuki considers that the penis in general may be closely related to the genera Keratella, Notholca, but closer observation has not been made in Notholca and other species, but the male of this genus perhaps has not a pair of setae on the apex of the penis contrary to those of Keratella. The penis is highly different in type from that of Brachionus. (ref. ID; 3114)
With one very long, 2 intermediate, and 3 short frontal spines; one long spine posteriorly. Variable with season. Freshwater species; in estuaries and in inner parts of Baltic. (ref. ID; 4594)
Male: This species males have been mentioned in the literature only once, viz. by Wesenberg-Lund (1923, p.248). As this author does not supply any figures I have prepared two illustrations. The figures show the cilia of the ciliary wreath to be long, soft, and flexible. Inside the wreath of cilia are found two areas, a larger and a smaller, which after narcotization with cocaine (occasionally perhaps also under natural conditions?) bulge in the shape of "humps". These areas are densely covered with fine bristles which have their points more or less bent like crotchet-hook. The eye was bright red. (ref. ID; 2553)
Measurements
Total length 460-730 µm. Average total length is smallest in mid-winter 560 µm, and increases to 660 µm at end of winter. Summer specimens are shorter again, but not as short as in winter. Ratio anterior spine/posterior spine is highest in winter, 1.8 and lowest at the end of winter, 1.4. This change is mainly due to an increase in length of the anterior spine. In summer and fall, the posterior spine is longer than in winter and the ratio between anterior and posterior spines is 1.6-1.7. (ref. ID; 1402)
Total length 780 µm. (ref. ID; 2715)
Total length 680; length of body 170; length of longest anterior spine 250; length of shorter anterior spines 100; length of posterior spine 260 µm. (ref. ID; 3275)
Total length 400-1100 µm. (ref. ID; 4594)
Male: Total length 70 and 90 µm. (ref. ID; 2553)
This variety is characterized by a long posterior and right median anterior spine. Oloffsson attributes great significance to another character, viz., the relatively marked difference in length (approx. 40 µm) between the lateral anterior spines. (ref. ID; 3235)
