Main Content
< Top page

The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Limnias

Limnias Schrank, 1803

Synonym Cephalosiphon Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 3688); Limnioides Tatem, 1868 (ref. ID; 3688)

ref. ID; 1663

Tube chitinoid, often opaque and more or less covered with debris. Corona of two distinct lobes, or nearly circular. Dorsal antenna short to long. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Corona with 2 lobes formed by wide dorsal gap and deep ventral depression. All sessile. May be solitary or in branching groups. May be over 1 mm long. (ref. ID; 1923)
  1. Limnias annulatus Bailey, 1854 (ref. ID; 2757) or 1855 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514)
    See; Limnias melicerta
  2. Limnias ceratophylli Schrank, 1803 (ref. ID; 1345, 1808, 1821, 2640, 2702, 2757, 2827, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3403) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292)
    Syn; Limnias ceratophylli var. socilalis Leydig, 1874 (ref. ID; 3688); Limnias socialis Leidy, 1874 (ref. ID; 1345); Melicerta biloba Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta ceratophylli Gosse, 1862 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688); Melicerta conferficola Schweigger, 1820 (ref. ID; 1345); Melicerta confervicola Schweigger, 1820 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer confervicola Dutrochet, 1812 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Tubicolaria confervicola Lamarck, 1916 (ref. ID; 3688); Tubicolaris confericola Lamarck, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345)
  3. Limnias ceratophylli var. socilalis Leydig, 1874 (ref. ID; 3688)
  4. Limnias ceratophylli var. sphagnicola Zacharias, 1886 (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Limnias ceratophylli Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3688)
  5. Limnias cornella Rousselet, 1889 (ref. ID; 1345)
  6. Limnias corniculata Ehrenberg, 1853
    See; Limnias melicerta (ref. ID; 1345)
  7. Limnias doliolum Schoch, 1868
    See; Limnias melicerta (ref. ID; 1345)
  8. Limnias granulosus Weber, 1888 (ref. ID; 2757)
  9. Limnias melicerta Weisse, 1848 (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 1923, 2224, 2683, 2757, 2827, 3083, 3514, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3215)
    Syn; Cephalosiphon limnias Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Cephalosiphon melicerta Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345); Limnias annulatus Bailey, 1854 (ref. ID; 2757) or 1855 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514, 3688); Limnias corniculata Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Limnias doliolum Schoch, 1868 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta annulatus (Bailey, 1855) (ref. ID; 3514) or Cubitt, 1871 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta cubitti Cubitt, 1871 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688)
  10. Limnias melicerta var. granulosus Weber, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345)
    Syn; Limnias annulatus var. granulosus Weber, 1898 (ref. ID; 1345); Limnias granulosus Weber, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345); Limnias melicerta var. granulosus (Weber) Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345)
  11. Limnias myriophylli (Tatem, 1868) (ref. ID; 1345) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292)
    Syn; Limnias myriophylli Western, 1891(ref. ID; 1345); Limnioides myriophylli Tatem, 1868 (ref. ID; 1345)
  12. Limnias nymphaea Stenroos, 1898 (ref. ID; 1345)
  13. Limnias shiawasseensis Kellicott, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345)

Limnias ceratophylli Schrank, 1803 (ref. ID; 1345, 1808, 1821, 2640, 2702, 2757, 2827, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3403) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292)

Synonym

Limnias ceratophylli var. socilalis Leydig, 1874 (ref. ID; 3688); Limnias socialis Leidy, 1874 (ref. ID; 1345); Melicerta biloba Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta ceratophylli Gosse, 1862 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688); Melicerta conferficola Schweigger, 1820 (ref. ID; 1345); Melicerta confervicola Schweigger, 1820 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer confervicola Dutrochet, 1812 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Tubicolaria confervicola Lamarck, 1916 (ref. ID; 3688); Tubicolaris confericola Lamarck, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345)

Descriptions

  • Egg: Newly deposited amictic eggs are dark, but they lighten during maturation. Before hatching, red eyespots as well as the ciliated corona and mastax may be distinguished. (ref. ID; 1821)
  • Larvae: Larvae have a long, worm-like body, divided into three regions: head, trunk, and foot. And they possess a circular wreath of relatively short cilia at the terminus of the head and of the foot. At the anterior end are two red eyespots set widely apart. The head is slightly broader than the trunk. Ganglion, a muscular mastax with well-developed trophi, two stomach glands, and a voluminous intestine are easily seen. These forms also possess red eyespots in the head region, but the lobes or arms of the adult animal are already present inserted inside of the head. Also visible is a large infundibulum, a vestibulum, a large mastax, and an intestine. An anus is usually visible, located in the middle part of the trunk. Larvae possess longitudinal hypodermal glands in the trunk. It has several, large, swollen, spindle-like glands which fill the whole lower half of the trunk. All internal organs usually obscured by abundant glandular inclusions. A dark oval formation which begins to brighten with the development of the larva is present. This body, which is probably identical to the anisotrophic (birefringent) crystalline structure (ACS) described by Wallace (1993), may function as an energy reserve for swimming and metamorphosis until the young animal begins feed. The foot is usually about 1/3 the total length of the body and contains two very prominent cement glands; the terminal part also contains small bladder-like glands. (ref. ID; 1821)

    Measurements

    Total length 750-1030; tube height 610-860; height at 1st egg 360-576; egg size 121-132x50-61; larval length 138-180 µm. (ref. ID; 1821)

    Limnias melicerta Weisse, 1848 (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 1923, 2224, 2683, 2757, 2827, 3083, 3514, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3215)

    Synonym

    Cephalosiphon limnias Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Cephalosiphon melicerta Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345); Limnias annulatus Bailey, 1854 (ref. ID; 2757) or 1855 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514, 3688); Limnias corniculata Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Limnias doliolum Schoch, 1868 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta annulatus (Bailey, 1855) (ref. ID; 3514) or Cubitt, 1871 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Melicerta cubitti Cubitt, 1871 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The unci each had three large teeth. (ref. ID; 2683)

    This Rotifer constructs a tall transparent tube which is beautifully ornamented with rings, the formation of which has caused much speculation. It was the writer's very good fortune to discover that each ring is caused by the deposition of a complete circlet of mucus which hardens while the Rotifer rests with its body swollen at the mouth of the tube. The first section at the base of the tube is a cuff of plain mucus exuded on the plant by the very small larva, and the ringed additions are built up on this structureless foundation. The commoner related species, L. ceratophylli constructs an opaque tube without rings, but here again the first section is laid down as a translucent cylinder excreted by the newly-settled larva. (ref. ID; 3215)

    Measurements

    Body length (contracted) 190; highest part 55-61 µm (contracted). (ref. ID; 3083)