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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Mniobia

Mniobia Bryce, 1910

Class Digononta: Order Bdelloidea: Family Philodinidae (ref. ID; 6806)

Order Philodinida: Family Philodinidae (ref. ID; 6565)

ref. ID; 1663

With a well-developed rostrum and corona, the latter always capable of being retracted into the mouth. With toes bearing cup-like suckers or united to form a broad disc or twin discs. Body length up to 1 mm long. Stomach with a true lumen. Intestine ciliated. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Foot without toes, with attachment disc. In drying mosses, some epizotic. (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 3137

The foot is without toes. The last foot-joint is provided with a shield-shaped suction-plate of varying form and size. The foot is three- or four-jointed, but it is always very short. The rostrum has always rostral lamellae. The borders of the jaws are usually broad and dark brown. The eye-spots are always lacking. The spurs are usually short. Oviparous. The animals live usually in during mosses. (ref. ID; 3137)
  1. Mniobia adhaerens Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  2. Mniobia animosa Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2646)
  3. Mniobia animosa var. macrocephala Burger, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345)
  4. Mniobia armata (Murray, 1905) (ref. ID; 1345) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474)
    Syn; Callidina armata Murray, 1905 (ref. ID; 1345); Mniobia armata Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345)
  5. Mniobia barbatula Donner, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 2636 original paper)
  6. Mniobia bdelloidea Donner, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
  7. Mniobia bifera Bartos, 1939
    See; Macrotrachela habita (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  8. Mniobia brachypoda Schulte, 1954 (ref. ID; 1345)
  9. Mniobia branchicola (Nemec, 1895) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
    Syn; Callidina branchicola Nemec, 1895 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Macrotrachela branchicola Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Mniobia branchicola Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  10. Mniobia bredensis de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 2606, 2636)
  11. Mniobia bulbifera Bartos, 1939
    See; Macrotrachela habita (ref. ID; 3511)
  12. Mniobia burgeri Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 2646)
  13. Mniobia caudatula Bartos, 1938
    See; Mniobia incrassata Murray, 1905 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  14. Mniobia circinata (Murray, 1908) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3144, 3688)
    Syn; Callidina circinata Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia circinata Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Mniobia circinator Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 3688)
  15. Mniobia circinator Wulfert, 1950
    See; Mniobia circinata Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 3688)
  16. Mniobia circinnata (ref. ID; 1923)
  17. Mniobia conarus Berzins, 1982 (ref. ID; 4606 original paper)
  18. Mniobia cornuta Bartos, 1938
    See; Habrotrocha spicula (ref. ID; 3136, 3688)
  19. Mniobia cricinator Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345)
    See; Macrotrachlea plicata var. hirundinella (ref. ID; 3137)
  20. Mniobia dentata Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper, 2273)
  21. Mniobia discophora Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 7857 original paper)
  22. Mniobia donneri Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
    Syn; Mniobia orta var. Donner, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
  23. Mniobia edmondsoni Burger, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345, 2606) or Burger? (ref. ID; 2609)
  24. Mniobia frankenbergeri Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  25. Mniobia gibbosa Bartos, 1938
    See; Macrotrachela habita (ref. ID; 3511, 3688)
  26. Mniobia granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
    Syn; Mniobia scarlatina var. granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  27. Mniobia incrassata (Murray, 1905) (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2972, 7857)
    Syn; Callidina incrassata Murray, 1905 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia caudatula Bartos, 1938 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia incrassata Bartos, 1942 (ref. ID; 1345); Mniobia incrassata Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  28. Mniobia incurata Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 3688 original paper) or 1961 (ref. ID; 2628 original paper)
  29. Mniobia intermedia Bartos, 1928
    See; Pleuretra intermedia (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  30. Mniobia jurensis Schulte, 1954 (ref. ID; 1345)
  31. Mniobia kallosoma Schulte, 1954 (ref. ID; 1345)
  32. Mniobia lamellata Donner, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 2636 original paper, 3688)
  33. Mniobia lenta Donner, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
  34. Mniobia lineata Rahm, 1932 (ref. ID; 1345, 2562, 3137)
  35. Mniobia lobata Haigh (ref. ID; 2273 original paper)
  36. Mniobia loxocorona de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345) reported year? (ref. ID; 3688)
  37. Mniobia magna (Plate, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2276, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)
    Syn; Callidina hexaodon Ehrenberg, 1848 (ref. ID; 3688); Callidina magna Plate, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or 1889 (ref. ID; 2276, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519); Callidina octodon Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688); Mniobia magna Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  38. Mniobia mirabilis (Murray, 1911) (ref. ID; 1345)
  39. Mniobia modesta Donner, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
  40. Mniobia montium Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 2608, 3275) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
  41. Mniobia obtusicalar de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474)
    Syn; Mniobia spec. de Koning, 1929 (ref. ID; 1345)
  42. Mniobia obtusicornis Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
  43. Mniobia ocypetes Berzins, 1982 (ref. ID; 4606 original paper)
  44. Mniobia orta Donner, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345)
  45. Mniobia ostensa Donner (ref. ID; 2646 original paper)
  46. Mniobia placida Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper)
  47. Mniobia procera Schulte, 1954 (ref. ID; 1345)
  48. Mniobia proxima Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 3136)
    See; Habrotrocha tridens var. proxima Donner, 1950 (ref. ID; 3136) or Habrotrocha proxima (ref. ID; 1345)
  49. Mniobia punctata Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474, 2608)
  50. Mniobia punctulata Bartos, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1946 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
  51. Mniobia quinquetuberculata Bartos, 1938
    See; Macrotrachela bilfingeri (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  52. Mniobia recurvicornis Bartos, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1950 (ref. ID; 3137)
  53. Mniobia russeola (Zelinka, 1891) (ref. ID; 1345, 2274, 2606, 2810, 3688) or 1888 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 3144, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519, 2972)
    Syn; Callidina russeola Zelinka, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or 1891 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519); Mniobia russeola Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  54. Mniobia scabrosa Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  55. Mniobia scarlatina (Ehrenberg, 1853) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
    Syn; Callidina scarlatina Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia scarlatina Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  56. Mniobia scarlatina f. angulata Bartos, 1938
    See; Habrotrocha crenata (ref. ID; 1345, 3136, 3688)
  57. Mniobia scarlatina f. rugosa Bartos, 1938
    See; Habrotrocha crenata var. sphagnicola (ref. ID; 3136, 3688)
  58. Mniobia scarlatina granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 3688), var. granulosa (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
    See; Mniobia granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  59. Mniobia setifera Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  60. Mniobia storkani Bartos, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  61. Mniobia symbiotica (Zelinka, 1886) (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2562, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
    Syn; Callidina symbiotica Zelinka, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 3137, 3688); Mniobia symbiotica Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  62. Mniobia tarda Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2275, 2606, 2635 original paper) reported year? (ref. ID; 3397)
  63. Mniobia tentans Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2606, 2635 original paper, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 3397)
  64. Mniobia tentans f. A Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 3688)
  65. Mniobia tentans f. B Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 3688)
  66. Mniobia tentans f. C Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 3688)
  67. Mniobia tetraodon (Ehrenberg, 1848) (ref. ID; 1345, 2275, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)
    Syn; Callidina tentaculata Bergendal, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345); Callidina tetraodon Ehrenberg, 1848 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia tetraodon Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  68. Mniobia vargai Donner, 1961 (ref. ID; 2686 original paper)
  69. Mniobia variabilis Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper)

Mniobia adhaerens Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The colourless or very light yellowish body has a length of 270 to 297 µm. The digestive tube is dark gray. The surface of the cuticle is smooth. On the dorsal side of the trunk the cuticle bears several longish cuticular folds. On the rump are two pairs of lumbar plicae, one behind the other. The first pair of these lumbar plicae is divided into two. The rostrum is short and broad, and it bears two large forward pointing rostral lamellae. In the creeping action the head shows on the sides notched. The dorsal antenna is short, it is scarcely half the width of the neck. The side-knobs of the base of the antenna are insignificant. The neck is broad and short. The foot is short broad, and four-jointed. The first foot-joint is long, its sides have three waves, the first wave is longer than the two following ones. The spurs are separated by a short and straight interspace, at the spurs are broad, the inner side of the spurs is deeply notched. At the tips the spurs are sharply pointed. The last foot-segment is unusually short, and it is relatively broad. The mucus-plate of the foot is very remarkable, it is formed by the secretion of the foot-glands, and includes, from below upwards, the second and the third foot-segments. The last foot-segment is hidden by this mucous plate or it is visible through the plate. The plate adheres to the foot of the animal so much, also in glycerin, that is cannot be easily separated from it. The wheel-organ is wider than the head or the neck. I observed neither sensitive setae not the sensitive papillae on the wheel-discs. The sulcus is deep and broad. The collar is unusually high, and it ends on the inner side of the wheel-pedicels with large retracting knobs almost in the 1/4 of the fields of the wheel-discs. The upper lip is strongly arched in front, and it has on the anterior border only narrow and shallow notches. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: The eggs of this species are completely smooth, oval and without protuberances. (Proportions 85x46 µm). One of the poles of the egg is narrower than the other. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia branchicola (Nemec, 1895) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Synonym

    Callidina branchicola Nemec, 1895 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Macrotrachela branchicola Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Mniobia branchicola Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The body has a length of 200 to 350 µm. The surface of the cuticle is smooth. On the surface of the trunk there are several longish cuticular folds. The young animals are colourless and transparent, in the olders individuals the stomach-walls are light or dark grayish brown. The contents of the stomach and of the intestines as well as of the cloaca is dark brown. The creeping animal is widest in the middle of the trunk, from here it narrow suddenly in both directions. The rostrum is two-jointed, short, and broad. Both rostral lamellae are grown together, and they cover the long wheel-cilia of the rostral cap. The retracted rostrum forms a very characteristic feature of the animal also where retracted. The dorsal antenna is very short. The basal joint of the dorsal antenna is very broad at the base. On either side of the dorsal antenna sits one blunt side-knob. The foot is short, but it is very stout, and has four segments. The spurs are very broad at the base, they are long, conical, close to each other at the base. The tips of the spurs are abruptly set off and they are blunt. Inside the spurs four outlet-channels of the foot-glands can be seen. The last segment of the foot cannot be seen from above. This segment is a long suction-tube, which protrudes a little at the edges of the posterior border. The feeding animal is much shorter than the creeping animal, and in the feeding action it shows two distinct size. At first the animal does not feed quietly, it interrupts the feeding action ever so often. And touches with the tip of the rostrum its environment, and often creeps a little away. In these action the animal is long a baglike, and the foot of the animal is completely retracted. The swimming animal has also this shape. Later, when the animal feeds quietly the body of the animal is strongly shortened and it is noticeably extended. Then the foot with the spurs is exserted, and it is clearly seen. The wheel-organ is much wider than the head. The wheel-pedicels are divided by a deep and wide sulcus, but they are jointed together by a thin, almost transparent membrane, which rises to the level of the wheel-discs, and reaches as far as to the middle of their diameter. Besides these two lobes of the membrane this membrane forms two other lobes, which are lower and smaller. The latter lobes can be seen on the anterior border of the membrane between the wheel-discs. The upper lip is flatly arched, and is without lobes. On the surface of the head are two strong circular folds. These folds end at the anterior border of the head in a sharp point. Behind these cuticular folds the retracted rostrum shines through the skin. On the posterior edges of the head the side knobs of the knobs of the dorsal antenna form very prominent knobs. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: Oviparous. The egg is smooth, broad oval, and is 75-79 µm in length and 51-57 µm in width. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia bredensis de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 2606, 2636)

    Descriptions

    These specimens agreed very closely with the descriptions given the Donner (1950) and Voigt (1957) but both these authors describe the cuticle as being granular, whereas in these animals the cuticular formations were more in the nature of very small papillae, not very closely or evenly placed on the neck and first body segments but a little closer and tending to follow the longitudinal folds on the trunk. The animals feed very infrequently, at times very restless at other remaining for long periods in the contracted state. Here they collected debris around themselves, but only sparsely and on moving away trailed a little behind them before losing it. Almost colourless but the papillae give a grey appearance to the cuticle. Rostrum broad with large lamellae with deep notch. Dorsal antenna about half neck width, stumpy, somewhat wider at the tip than in the middle, lateral knobs on its segment. The oesophagus had no loop nor was it winding. Uncus with a lightish brown border, dental formula 3/3+1. Foot with few light papillae, spurs small, slightly cut out on the inner edge, small interspace. The discs with sensitive papillae are smaller than the head at the prominent lower lip corners. The sulcus is V-shaped, narrow and deep, the arched upper lip narrows to a small lobe with a teat-like cut-out, narrower than the sulcus and the rising to about half the disc height. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Comments

    The animal is very like Mniobia edmondsoni but Burger (1948) does not allow either granules or papillae on the cuticle but describes it as rather thick and not very transparent. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 287; length of feeding animal 225; width across trochal discs 36; width across head (at lower lip corners) 42; width across neck segment 30; length of unci 21; length of spurs 6 µm. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Mniobia burgeri Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 2646)

    Comments

    The correct placing of this animal is somewhat doubtful due to the confusion existing regarding this species which was Mniobia animosa var. Burger, 1948 and was raised to specific rank by Bartos, apparently with every justification. There was also another variety macrophila and unfortunately the same specific characteristics were not given in each case so that comparison is rather difficult. It has been placed in the species given in the heading although the cuticle is not smooth but stippled and the dental formula may not be correct, also the egg-shaped is like that given for the var. macrophila (no description of the egg for the other two species has ever been given). The difficulty with the dental formula is that the first two strong teeth are followed by three or four weaker teeth diminishing in strength and the first of these may sometimes be included in the formula. The colour was a pale straw, many oil globules were present and the stippling included the spurs. The discs carry sensitive papillae and setae and are slightly wider than the head, the sulcus is only moderately wide and has a bridge about two-thirds the height of the fairly tall pedicels, the lobe of the upper lip resembles that of M. nana but the sides of the lobe are more concave with the upper parts almost parallel and the tip straight. This tip, slightly wider than the sulcus lies just above or below the equally straight base of the sulcus and appears characteristic of the species. The trunk bears strong longitudinal folds and plicae on the anal segments, spurs not large but in two segments, the tips being fairly flexible. The edges of the uncus are wide and shapely and brown in colour. Animal stout, rostrum short and stout, lamella with wide but shallow notch and long cilia. It remains contracted for long periods, feeds seldom, but when creeping moves freely. Dorsal antenna about two-thirds neck width. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 287; length of feeding animal 187; length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 65; width across trochal discs 33; width across head 30; length of unci 15 µm. Egg 96x54 µm. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Mniobia circinata (Murray, 1908) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3144, 3688)

    Synonym

    Callidina circinata Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia circinata Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Mniobia circinator Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 3688)

    Descriptions

    The short body has a length of 213 µm and it is transparent with a smooth cuticle. The body is colourless. The rostrum is short and narrow, it is two-jointed. Both of its joints are almost equally long. The rostral lamellae are minute, and they are protrude sharply. The head is strongly elongated in the direction towards the back. The dorsal antenna is short at the base it is fairly broad. The side-knobs on the sides of the dorsal antenna are notably large. In the creeping animal the side-knobs on the sides of the dorsal antenna are notably large. In the creeping animal the side-knobs are sharply set off from the sides of the first neck-segment. The neck is relatively long. On the surface of the trunk are several strong, longish cuticular folds. The foot is short, narrow and three-jointed. The spurs are very long, far apart and sharply pointed. They are very prominent sidewards. The last joint of the foot is long, conical, relatively narrow, and ends in a small suction-plate. The wheel-organ is very broad, much broader than the neck and broader than the head. It is nearly as broad as the trunk of the feeding animal. In the feeding action the head and trunk are square. The sulcus is deep and broad, the wheel-discs are somewhat inclined towards the body axis. The collar is high, and it runs prominently on the inner borders of the wheel-pedicels. The upper lip is arched in front, the middle part of it is cut off straight in front. The fist neck-segment is pressed close to the head in the feeding action, so that the side-knobs of the first neck-segment for the posterior, very prominent lateral edges of the head. The rest of the first neck-segment is very narrow. The anterior edges of the two following neck-segments protrude strongly sidewards. D.f.: 3/3. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia conarus Berzins, 1982 (ref. ID; 4606 original paper)

    Descriptions

    Body relatively robust, dotted. Head with 4, body with 3 not distinct segments. Foot with 3 segment. Pedicellen short, sulcus between them narrow. Overlip with a little notch on the tip. Spurs wide in the basal party, narrowed from the midth and sharp at the end, somewhat bent. Teeth 2/2. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Type locality

    Some individuals from aerophyti moss and lichens on stone, Melbourne. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Measurements

    Length ca. 200 µm. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Mniobia dentata Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper, 2273)

    Descriptions

    The animal was most reluctant to feed. It remained for long periods in the contracted state, only moving if subjected to intense light. It then moved only a short distance, and if the light was reduced for observation often contracted again. When creeping, the dorsal antenna and the rather swollen segment carrying it were often seen protruding ahead of the rostrum (rather like Rotaria sordida); it also crept with the aid of the rostrum during feeding whilst the discs were everted. Animal of medium size, a light straw colour, the trunk, foot and spurs only lightly stippled but sticky with mucus, so that quite a little debris was picked up. The only time the foot and spurs were visible was when the animal turned, otherwise both during feeding and creeping they were never extended beyond the anal segments. Upper lip fairly high with a wide and shallow notch and two side lobes. The rostrum and the dorsal antenna often lie right over the upper lip whilst feeding, with the tip of the dorsal antenna sometimes in advance of it. Mouth well developed with strong lower lip. No sensitive papillae, sulcus fairly wide but not deep. The oil globules were large, the salivary glands rather dark and well defined, as were the glands of the foot. The first quarter of the stomach lumen was a little wider than the remainder. Dorsal antenna of two segments was equal in length to three quarters of the neck width. Spurs quite small with very wide interspace. The edges of the jaws were neither serrated nor coloured, dental formula 3/3. The folds of the trunk were only light and the whole of the outer edge of the trunk was serrated with small saw-like teeth, close together and with no space between. Their length was about 4+1/2 µm, but four teeth, one at each end of the main cross-folds of the trunk, were rather longer, about 6 µm. It is one of the very few Bdelloids which can be mounted on a slide and still show the main identifying features. The drawing of the contracted animal was from such a slide. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 374; length of feeding animal 300; width across the trochal discs 86; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 58; width across the head 54; length of the unci 24; width across spurs 30 µm. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Mniobia discophora Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 7857 original paper)

    Descriptions

    The body is stout, smooth, and barely transparent. The digestive tract and the ovaries are slightly red, or they may also be colourless. The rostrum is stout and broad. On the first joint of it are two large and circular rostral lamellae, which cover long sensitive setae. The first joint of the rostrum is broadly shielshaped, the second joint is much slender. The head is large, the neck in the creeping animals is distinctly more slender than the head. On the first neck-segment is a dorsal antenna, which is two-jointed. The basal joint is much longer and more slender than the second. On the dorsal side of the trunk are on either side 6 longish cuticular ribs. The trunk passes gradually into stout rump, and this into the four-jointed foot. The first joint of the foot is very long, the second and the third joints are much shorter. The third foot-segment is on the lateral sides, especially on the ventral border, elongated into a very large suction-plate, serving of adhesion to the substratum. When the foot moves this plate points from dorsal above to ventral down. When it adheres to the substratum this plate is horizontal. Near the ventral border of this plate is a large circular opening, serving to stretch the last foot-segment, which is cylindric, and ends in a propre adhesive suction-plate. The spurs lack completely. The mucous glands of the foot are very well developed, they are situated in the interior of the foot, and penetrate deeply into the interior of the rump. D.f.: 3/3. The wheel-organ is wider than the head. The wheel-pedicels are separated by a deep and broad sulcus. The upper lip is high and broad. In the middle the anterior border of the upper lip is straight, but the outer corners are semicircularly inflated and high. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    This species creeps about in a very lively way, but is feeds only rarely. The length of the creeping animal is 250-270 µm in the feeding action it shortens to 200-230 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia frankenbergeri Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The transparent body has a length of 280 to 334 µm. The cuticle of the head, neck, and foot is smooth, on the trunk it is covered with fine translucent cuticular granules. On the dorsal side of the trunk is developed a large number of longish cuticular folds, of which one pair runs on both rump segments to form the lumbar plicae. The walls of the digestive tube are light to dark brownish. The lumen of the stomach is somewhat narrower than that of the other species of the genus Mniobia Bryce. The rostrum is two-jointed. The first, end-joint of the rostrum is longer and wider than the second joint, and it bears two large semicircular rostral lamellae; under these are long whirl-cilia. The narrow head is elongated in backwards direction. The neck is broad and noticeably short. The dorsal antenna is as long as half the width of the neck and narrows fairly much towards the tip. The second joint of the dorsal antenna ends in long sensitive setae. On either side of the dorsal antenna the neck bears a small side-knob. The anterior edge of the third neck-segment are very much developed, and protrude strongly sidewards. The rump passes gradually into the central trunk at one end and gradually into the foot at the other end. The preanal segment is long, nearly in the middle of the length of it, it narrows. The anal segment is much narrower and the posterior part of it is cylindrically elongated. The foot is short, four-jointed. The first joint of the foot is very much extended on the sides, in the middle this extension is almost protruding. The second foot-joint is short. The third joint by the posterior border protrudes somewhat on the sides and it protrudes strongly on the dorsal side in a shieldlike plate. On the upper border of this plate are thiny, sharply pointed, and very far apart spurs. The interspace of the spurs is moderately arched. The last foot-joint is long, broad, and on the posterior border of it, it is flatly bilobed. The last foot-joint is rarely visible. When it is, then the shieldlike extension of the third foot-segment has its narrowest part perpendicular to the base, for the rest this extension adheres to the base. The wheel-organ is wider than the head or the neck, it is always narrower than the trunk. The wheel-pedciels are divided by a deep and broad sulcus. On the wheel-discs are low papillae ending in sensitive setae. The wheel-discs are somewhat inclined towards the body axis. The upper lip runs out into two strongly oblique lobes, which are separated by a deep and broad sulcus. The bottom of it is straight. The collar is strongly developed. The feeding animal is very lively and feeds for a along time D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    The suction-plate of the third foot-segment makes this species reminiscent of Mniobia obtusicornis Murray, but it differs from the latter in dental formula, in shape of upper lip, in first foot-joint and in having granules on the surface of the trunk. The form of the first foot-segment is reminiscent of the species Macrotrachela plicatula Murray and Macrotrachela lepida Murray. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

    Synonym

    Mniobia scarlatina var. granulosa Bartos, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The trunk is covered by very coarse cuticular granules as in Mniobia scarlatina Ehrenberg. The digestive tube is yellowish brown to reddish brown. The rostrum is long and broad, it is two-jointed. The rostral lamellae are large and semicircular. The dorsal antenna is relatively short. The first joint of it is club shaped at the end. The second joint is very short, and it is narrower than the end of preceding first joint. One large and oblique side-knob sits on either side of the dorsal antenna. The foot is short, narrow, and ventral. It has only three segments. The spurs are relatively long, blunt pointed. The interspace between the spurs is short, an it is somewhat arched. The suction plate is narrow. The wheel-organ is broad with a deep and broad sulcus between the wheel-pedicels. The upper lip is small, and projects far between the wheel-pedicels. The anterior border of the upper lip is slightly cut out in the middle. The first neck-segment is closely attached to the feeding head had the basal knobs of the antenna form the lateral prolongation of the posterior margin of the feeding head. D.f.: 4/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The body has a length of 250 to 270 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia incrassata (Murray, 1905) (ref. ID; 1345, 2273, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2972, 7857)

    Synonym

    Callidina incrassata Murray, 1905 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia caudatula Bartos, 1938 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia incrassata Bartos, 1942 (ref. ID; 1345); Mniobia incrassata Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The animal was much smaller than those reported elsewhere, attaining a length of 200 µm only, whilst creeping. The stout trunk was a medium brown and lightly granulated, the head foot and spurs were clear. On the trunk were eleven transverse rows of oblong mucus plates, those on the anal segments being a little wider and shorter in length than those of the trunk. The posterior tips of these plates stood away from the body, this was especially noticeable on the borders of the trunk, those on the first trunk segment were much larger than the remainder. The dorsal antenna was very long, much longer than the neck width, the lamella was small with a small notch, the rostrum rather square but with fairly long neck segments. It moved and fed quite freely but did not expose the foot whilst feeding, no knob was observed on the short and stout foot, the spurs were small, not very pointed nor were they very far apart, the interspace equal to about the width of a spur. The discs with sensitive papillae and setae were not wide, the upper lip was arched but did not reach the wide but shallow sulcus. The uncus was large for the size of the animal. Dental formula 4/4 teeth strong. (ref. ID; 2273)

    The body attains a length of 318 to 424 µm. It is dark yellow to yellow brown; the head, neck, and foot with spurs are much light in colour. The trunk is covered with a plate-armour. These plates are made of mucus exsuded from the trunk-surface of the trunk. The plates are arranged regularly in 10-11 transversal rows and several longish ones. The plates of the rump are especially large. The rostrum is short and wide. The rostral lamellae are small. The dorsal antenna is much longer than the width of the neck and a large knob can be seen on either side of the base of the dorsal antenna. The wheel-organ is as the trunk wide. The wheel-discs are large, they bear sensitive papillae with sensitive setae. The sulcus is broad and shallow. The upper lip is moderately arched and simple. The foot is short and stout, on the first foot-joint with a dorsal knob. The spurs are small, pointed and far apart. D.f.: 4/4 or 5/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 200; length of feeding animal 135; length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 45; width across trochal discs 39; width across neck segment 39; length of unci 24; width across body at the two neck lobes 60 µm. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Mniobia lineata Rahm, 1932 (ref. ID; 1345, 2562, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The body has a length of 510 to 540 µm. The cuticle of the surface of the trunk is smooth. The interior of the body is filled with several dark red-brown bodies, which move when the body is contracted. These bodies are probably the reserve-bodies, and they shine through the skin of the body only when no transversal muscle-girdles are developed; thus there appear to be 9 to 10 coloured girdles on the body of this species. Especially the sides of the body are coloured by these girdles. I have never observed any such coloured bodies in the neck and foot, it is therefore probable that these parts of the body are separated from other parts of the body by an inner membrane. The spurs are conical, they are far apart, and on the surface they are smooth. The foot is short and stout. It has four joints. The interspace between the spurs are moderately arched. The dorsal antenna is long, the first joint of the foot is extended in a club-shape at the end; the second joint is much narrower and short. The rostrum is long, broad, and two-jointed. The rostral lamellae are semicircular, and they sit on the anterior outer edges of the rostrum. The side-knobs on the side of the base of the dorsal antenna are large, and they are broad and prominent. The wheel-organ is broad. The wheel-pedicels are separated by a deep and broad sulcus. The wheel-discs are without sensitive setae. The very broad and stout collar protrudes as far as to the wheel-discs with large transparent inner lobes (retractors of the wheel-discs). The upper lip is flatly arched, but it does not reach the bottom of the bridge. The outer borders of the jaws are broad, brown, and notched. D.f.: 8/8-8/9. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: The egg is large (101-67.5 µm), on both poles the egg has sharp protuberances. It is reddish brown as are also the bands of the inner of the body of the mature individuals. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    According to Rahm this species is related to Mniobia magna Plate. But in my opinion it is rather related to Mniobia russeola Zelinka. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia lobata Haigh (ref. ID; 2273 original paper)

    Descriptions

    The most unusual feature of this animal was the five lobed formation of the first foot segment, rather like the three lobes of M. samali Bartos, 1948. It was light brown in colour with a reddish tinge to the stomach and the trunk together with the first foot segment was lightly stippled. The posterior border of the anal segment was ribbed, the longitudinal folds were very light. The lumen was very long with two loops. While creeping, the animal very seldom exposed the whole of the foot which was seldom fully out-stretched so that the length is given as 450-500 µm. However a fully extended specimen found dead measured 600 µm. Lamella well rounded with notch, mouth folds strong, dorsal antenna in two segments rather wide at the base, length about two-thirds neck width. Uncus with two very strong teeth placed alternately in each jaw, border coloured brown and with a wide but uninserted edge. Foot of four segments shapely spurs with small interspace and rather small for the size of the animal. The animal was unusual in its posture in the resting state, it often showed the border of the anal segment, the lobes of the first foot segment and the spurs without any sign of the intervening segments but with the clinging disc out-stretched between the spurs. The discs were wide without sensitive papillae, the head much narrower, the neck narrower still. The sulcus very shallow but wide and had two very small lobes or ligules, the low arched upper lip reached to this height and had two fleshy lobes whose tips lay in each corner of the sulcus. Pedicles short. The animal both moved slowly and rested for long periods; when feeding it revolved on the clining disc. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Measurements

    Length of feeding animal 300; length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 156; width across trochal discs 144; width across head 106; width across neck segment 88; length of unci 36; width of a single tooth 2+1/2-3; length of spurs 15; width between spur tips 31+1/2 µm. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Mniobia magna (Plate, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2276, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)

    Synonym

    Callidina hexaodon Ehrenberg, 1848 (ref. ID; 3688); Callidina magna Plate, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or 1889 (ref. ID; 2276, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519); Callidina octodon Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688); Mniobia magna Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The roseate to reddish brown body has a length of 413 to 725 µm. The cuticle of the trunk is very finely but distinctly granulated. The head and the neck are smooth. The foot is short and broad, and it is very finely stippled. The spurs are pointed at the tips, they are conical, short and close to each other at the base. The wheel-organ is broad, the wheel-discs are apart, and have high cylindrical sensitive papillae. These papillae bear brushes of sensitive setae. The sulcus us very broad and shallow. The anterior border of the upper lip has a shallow notch. D.f.: 6/6-8/8. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: The egg has several irregularly ending papilleous protuberances. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia obtusicornis Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

    Descriptions

    The body is 500 µm long; it is stout and light roseate, occasionally colourless. The trunk is smooth, only the spurs are somewhat finely granulated. The wheel-organ is broad, much broader than the head. The wheel-discs are far apart. The sulcus is broad and shallow. The upper lip is composed of two lobes, which run out into the blunt pointed lip-ligules. The dorsal antenna is short. The jaws have very broad, brown borders, which are strongly notched on the outer sides. The foot is short, but is stout and four-jointed. The spurs are very short blunt conical, more often the spurs are hemispherical with a large and straight interspace. The joint bearing the spurs is very broad and behind the spurs on the dorsal surface and their sides it is very strongly shield-shaped. D.f.: 3/3 or with a fourth much thinner tooth on each jaw. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia ocypetes Berzins, 1982 (ref. ID; 4606 original paper)

    Descriptions

    Very like M. animosus, but lacks the sharp triangle on the overlip between the pedidellen. Wide sulcus between the pedicellen. Body with large segments. Foot narrower with smaller segments. Spurs sharp with contact on the basis and very divergent. Teeth 3/3. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Type locality

    Melbourne - found in moss. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Measurements

    Length ca. 200 µm. (ref. ID; 4606)

    Mniobia placida Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper)

    Descriptions

    Small, light brown in colour, lightly stippled with light longitudinal folds in the cuticle. Has slight resemblance to Mniobia procera or Mnoibia branchicola, but, unlike the second of these, is not epizoic nor are the lower trunk segments s unduly wide; and, unlike the first, has a fairly large lamella and differs in colour, stippling an the form of the spurs. The discs with sensitive papillae are less in width than the head and stand on fairly high pedicels, which are joined by a membrane forming a U-shaped sulcus. The upper lip is a single-lobed rounded arch but with a rather light prominence forming a tip and reaching to sulcus height. Rostral lamella with a wide but shallow notch. Foot stout, spurs small, conical but cut out to narrow and form a small rounded tip; no toes. Digestive tube long and with loop. Dorsal antenna about half neck width. Dental formula 2/2, teeth strong for size of jaw, which has a wide serrated brownish border. (ref. ID; 2271)
  • Egg: Egg plain, elliptical, light brown 58x36 µm. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 216; length of feeding animal 150; length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 58; width across trochal discs 33; width across head 39; length of spurs 4.5; spur interspace 3; spur width 3; length of unci 19 µm. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Mniobia punctata Haigh, 1963 (ref. ID; 2271 original paper) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474, 2608)

    Descriptions

    A very sluggish animal, difficult to catch feeding and remaining in the same position in a contracted state for days on end. The granulation was heavy, rather like that of Mniobia punctata, and the granules sufficiently high to stand out on all the edges; especially were they prominent on the spurs. Upper lip with two semi-circular lobes with a rectangular interspace; discs same width as head. Trunk with strong longitudinal folds, cuticle brown in colour. Dental formula 2/2, teeth strong, unci with serrated and dark brown border. Anal and pre-anal segments shapely with strong plicae. Spurs papillose and stout with medium interspace. Rostrum stout with wide lamella slightly cut-out on its anterior edge. Dorsal antenna half neck-width in length. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 335; length of feeding animal 222; length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 68; width across trochal discs 53; width across head 53; width across neck segment 44; length of unci 21; length of spurs 10; interspace 3 µm. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Mniobia punctulata Bartos, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1946 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

    Descriptions

    The body is 350 to 430 µm long and it is of a light reddish to fairly red colour, especially in old individuals. The digestive tube has the most intensive colouring. The surface of the cuticle on the head, and on the neck is smooth, the cuticle of the trunk and of the whole of the foot is distinctly granulated. The rostrum is short and broad. The rostral lamellae are semicircular, far apart and under them can be seen long, strong and stiff cilia. The large side-knobs sit on either side of the dorsal antenna and each of them is broad and prominent on the sides. The dorsal surface of the trunk bears on either side 6 pairs of longish cuticular folds. On the preanal segment one pair of the lumbar plicae is in the middle slightly curved inwards. The anal segment is much narrower than the preanal segment, the posterior border of the anal segment is in the middle notched, and it passes into a short, stout, and four-jointed foot. The spurs are at the base broader swollen and they touch; at the tips they are fairly narrow. The tips of the spurs are long and much elongated. The wheel-organ is broader than the head. Sensitive papillae are developed on the wheel-discs, but sensitive setae are probably lacking. The sulcus is very deep and broad. The collar is very well developed, and is passes in the inner side of the pedicels into the thin and narrow retractors of the wheel-discs. The upper lip is strongly arched and large. The anterior part of the upper lip runs out into two large semicircular lobes, which are separated by a straight and broad interspace. The tips of the lobes of the upper lip reach nearly to the level of the wheel-discs. The first neck-segment is in the feeding action in its anterior part broad and it is closely pressed to the posterior border of the head. It forms here the large backwards pointing lobes of the posterior border of the feeding head. The rest of the first neck-segment is much narrower, and it forms a narrow stem between the head and the neck propre. D.f.: 2/2 sometimes also 1-2/2-1. The outer border of the jaws is brown. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    This species remained one very much the species Mniobia symbiotica Zel., by a whole series of various features. The principal difference besides the D.f.: is the form of the spurs and their mutual position. Also the shape of the upper lip is different. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia recurvicornis Bartos, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1950 (ref. ID; 3137)

    Descriptions

    The stout body is smooth on the surface of the head, neck, and foot with spurs. On the trunk it is covered with dense and fine cuticular granules. The walls of the digestive tube are vividly red, the other inner organs are slightly reddish in colour. The rostrum is two-jointed, stout, and it bears two semicircular rostral lamellae, which are far apart. The head is short. The first neck-segment bears on either side of the dorsal antenna a flatly arched knob. The foot is very short and it has only three joints. The posterior border of the second foot-joint is strongly arched. The spurs sit on the lateral sides of the second foot-segment, they are perpendicular to the foot-axis, but their tips are horn-shaped curved forwards. The spurs are conical. The size of a spur is sickle-shaped. D.f.: 7/7. I have not had an opportunity to catch this animal in the feeding action and I am convinced that it is a good species. According to the wheel-discs which shine through the skin, the wheel-organ is large. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    The similar species are Mniobia scarlatina and Mniobia magna, Mniobia scarlatina is covered with very large cuticular granules, only Mniobia magna is covered with fine cuticular granules like Mniobia recurvicornis. Both species agree with Mniobia recurvicornis in dental formula. They differ in the length of the dorsal antenna and in the size and location of the spurs. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The length of the body is 530 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia russeola (Zelinka, 1891) (ref. ID; 1345, 2274, 2606, 2810, 3688) or 1888 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 3144, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519, 2972)

    Synonym

    Callidina russeola Zelinka, 1888 (ref. ID; 3137) or 1891 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519); Mniobia russeola Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The head is short and strongly conical with a very wide spread of the discs, which have papillae and sensitive setae, the papillae not cylindrical but still rather high. The sulcus wide with divergent discs, the upper lip with a slight indentation covers the base of the sulcus. Dorsal antenna short, only about one third neck width. The very broad rostrum has a concave anterior edge with two small rounded lobes of the lamella. The light brown trunk, the foot and the spurs are only stippled, the heavy granulated of the spurs, apparently a feature of the European species, has not been seen. Foot and spurs both short and stout, spur tips not pointed but rather a rounded nipple shape, interspace between base of spurs wide and almost straight. The mouth and longitudinal folds strong. Dental formula 7/7 all teeth crowded within the first two thirds of the uncus, which is large, the edge slightly flattened, the light brown border narrow. (ref. ID; 2274)

    The body attains the length of 500 to 800 µm. The stout trunk is strongly reddish coloured, the digestive tube is yellowish to brightly red. The wheel-organ is very broad. The wheel-discs are divided by a deep and broad sulcus, and they bear sensitive papillae with sensitive setae. The upper lip is moderately arched, and is cut off straight in front. The foot is short, broad and four-jointed. The spurs are far apart, at the base they are broad conical, their tips are pointed. The whole cuticle of the trunk is smooth, also the foot is smooth and only the surface of the spurs and of the segment bearing the spurs is coarsely granulated. D.f.: 5/5 up to 7/7. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    According to Donner (1965) this species is often confused with Mniobia magna which however has a head not so conical, discs less wide, divergent sulcus and the teeth distributed over the whole of the uncus, etc. (ref. ID; 2274)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 525; length of feeding animal 437; width across the trochal discs 144; width across the head 114; length across the neck 75; head length 75; length of unci 42; length of spurs 15x7.5; interspace between base of spurs 18 µm. (ref. ID; 2274)

    Mniobia scabrosa Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The body is large and stout. The surface of the trunk is covered with large cuticular granules, also the foot is granulated. The body is reddish brown. The rostrum is broad and stout, the dorsal antenna is relatively long. The foot is four-jointed, and it is short and stout. The spurs are fairly long, narrow gradually towards the tip, they diverge. At the base the spurs sit very close to each other. The surface of the spurs is thickly granulated. The first foot-joint is somewhat narrowed at the anterior border, the posterior part of it is somewhat swollen. The end of the suction-plate is moderately notched. The jaws are provided with broad brown borders. The outer side of these borders are spined. D.f.: 6/6 to 7/7. The wheel-organ is broad. According to Donner the wheel-discs are very far apart and each disc bears ding to Donner the wheel-discs are very far apart and each disc bears a sensitive small sensitive papilla without the sensitive seta. The upper lip is very high, it reaches the level of the wheel-discs. In the front the upper lip is trilobed. The middle lobe is lower than the both lateral ones. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The length of the body is 450-600 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia scarlatina (Ehrenberg, 1853) (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

    Synonym

    Callidina scarlatina Ehrenberg, 1853 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia scarlatina Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The cuticle is covered on the surface of the trunk with coarse cuticular granules. These granules are very often much finer on the foot. The digestive tube is yellowish to reddish brown. The ovaries are also similarly coloured. The rostrum is long and broad, with two semicircular rostral lamellae. The wheel-organ is broad. The wheel-sulcus is very broad and deep. The upper lip is arched and very slightly notched in the middle. One large sideknob sits on either side of the long and stout dorsal antenna. The foot is short and pointed. The suction-plate on the end of the foot is long and broad. D.f.: 7/8 up to 10/10. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The body attains a length of 800 to 1000 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia setifera Bartos, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The body has a length of 300 to 350 µm. The cuticle of the head, neck, and foot is smooth and transparent. On the trunk the cuticle is granulated; the granules are fairly large glassy translucent and hemispherical. The digestive tube is vividly yellow-reddish, the ovaries are grayish yellow. The rostrum is short and broad, and it has two hemispherical rostral lamellae. The second joint of the rostrum is wider, but it is shorter than the first joint. The neck is relatively short and broad. The length of the dorsal antenna is nearly half the width of the neck. The dorsal antenna is broad at the base and narrows gradually towards the end. One large, strongly sidewards prominent side-knob sits on either side of the base of the dorsal antenna. On the surface of the trunk the cuticle forms high, longish cuticular folds, of which one pair runs in to the preanal segment, and is forms here the lumbar plicae. The anal segment is long, in the anterior part it is much wider and at the side it is spherically swollen. This swollen part of the anal segment is further covered with cuticular granules. The posterior part of the anal segment is much narrower, it is cylindrical and its surface is smooth. The foot is short, narrow, and four-jointed. The first foot-joint is the longest. The spurs are long, pointed, and they are almost as far apart as the are long. The spurs are on the inner side notched, at the base they are broad. The last foot-segment ends in a suction-plate. It is long conical and relatively narrow. The foot is much narrower and thinner than the preanal and anal segments. The wheel-organ is broad, broader than the head but it is narrower than the trunk. The wheel-discs are somewhat inclined towards the dorsal side of the body, and they bear on the surface minute sensitive papillae. No sensitive setae were observed. The sulcus is deep and relatively narrow, on the bottom it bears a blunt bridge-ligule. The ciliated border of the low lip (cingulum) runs on to the dorsal side of the wheel-pedicels nearly to the middle of their width. When they pass from the ventral side and in the transversal part of the cingulum the cilia are short and very mobile. On the longish parts of the cingulum are 5-6 stiff, long, and immobile cilia on either side of the body. These cilia are longer than half the width of the wheel-pedicels, and they protrude nearly to the width of the wheel-organ on either side of the wheel-pedicels. The collar is high, on the side of the head it is double, and it protrudes on the inner borders of the wheel-pedicels, and forms in crossing on to the apical field of the wheel-pedicel one strongly arched transparent retracting knob. The side-part of the bottom of the sulcus are moderately arched. The upper lip forms two lobes. The first lobe forming the anterior part of the head runs out into two low, fairly far apart lobes. The second fold is flatly circular. The first fold forms the contour of the head, the second fold forms on the surface of the head a pattern. The anterior oblique edges of this pattern run to the anterior border of the feeding head nearly to the outer fold. The fist neck-joints is pressed closely to the head in the feeding action, and the side knobs of the dorsal antenna are prominent, pointing dorsally. The first and second neck-joints are much narrower than the head. The rostrum is only rarely completely retracted, and it covers usually the central part of the upper lip, and sometimes it may also cover the bridge. D.f.: 3/3. The outer borders of the jaws are broad, dark brown, and strongly notched. This species is very lively, it makes often and for a long time tranquilly to wheel. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Comments

    This species is reminiscent of Mniobia symbiotica Zelinka by its dental formula and also sometimes by its upper lip, but it differs from the latter by its lip-ligule. Its stiff and long cilia on the dorsal apart of the cingulum, and its cuticular granules on the surface of the trunk. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia storkani Bartos, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The surface of the cuticle is smooth. The head, the neck, the foot with the spurs, and the hypodermal protuberances of the anal-segment are colourless, and they are not covered with mucus. The trunk is covered with a mucus layer of varying thickness, it is grayish to dark black. Various particles of debris stick to the sticky surface of trunk. This species is very similar indeed to Rotaria sordida Western or to Habrotrocha fusca Bryce. The rostrum is long and brown with semicircular, small rostral lamellae and with long whirl-cilia. The dorsal antenna is long, two-jointed, the first joint is long, narrows abruptly at the end, and it is to the end of it very shortened. The second joint s very broad and short. A large and blunt side knob sits on either side of the base of the dorsal antenna. The posterior edges of the trunk-segments are simple, only the posterior lateral sides of the anal segment bear on either side a long, cylindrical hypodermal knob. The foot is short, narrow, and four-jointed. The spurs are far apart, protruding, their tips are sharply pointed, and they are somewhat curved inwards. The last foot-segment ends with a relatively narrow suction plate. On the ventral surface of this plate are retractile warts from which flows the mucus of the foot-glands. The wheel-organ is wider than the head. The sulcus is broad and deep. On the inner border of the wheel-pedicels the strongly swollen projection fuse. These projections serve of the retraction of the wheel-organ. The upper lip is flatly arched. The side knobs of the base of the dorsal antenna in the feeding action are closely layied to the head, and they form here blunt backwards pointing projections. The neck is much narrower than the head. D.f.: 4/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The length of the body is 251 to 334 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia symbiotica (Zelinka, 1886) (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2562, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

    Synonym

    Callidina symbiotica Zelinka, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 3137, 3688); Mniobia symbiotica Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The roseate or colourless body ahs a length of 340 to 360 µm. The digestive tube is very often fairly red. The trunk is covered with several strong, longish cuticular folds. The surface of the cuticle is usually smooth, or it is covered with very fine cuticular granules. The rostrum is long and broad with two semicircular rostral lamellae. The dorsal antenna is fairly long. The foot is short and stout, four-jointed. The spurs are curved inwards, they are broad at the base, pointed at the tip, and they touch at the base or sit very close together here. The last joint of the foot ends in a suction plate, on which are 10 retractile warts, these serve as the outlets for the secretion of the foot-glands. The wheel-organ is wider than the head. The sulcus is deep and very broad. On the wheel-discs are low, conical, sensitive papillae without sensitive setae. The upper lip runs out into two lobes which are very close together, and which end obliquely. D.f.: 2/3-4/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia tarda Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2275, 2606, 2635 original paper)

    Descriptions

    The head is distinctive with its squarish appearance due to the almost straight parallel sides of the low pedicels and the sides of the head itself. Discs semi-circular with sensitive setae which however did not seem to be inclined to each other. Slender, smooth and colourless with the longitudinal folds well marked, hip segment set off but not the foot. Lamella rather large and square on broad rostrum, slight cleft. Spurs fairly large divergent triangles with little or no interspace. The refractive part mentioned by Donner was conspicuous in the older animals but was not so easily seen in the young. Egg oval, narrow in proportion to its length. Dorsal antenna slightly over half neck width. (ref. ID; 2275)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 237; length of feeding animal 170; width across the trochal discs 21; width across the head 24; head length 27; length of unci 15; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 51; width between spur tips 13.5 µm. Dental formula 2/2. (ref. ID; 2275)

    Mniobia tentans Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2606, 2635 original paper, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 3397)

    Descriptions

    The surface of the stout body is smooth or very finely granulated. The body is slightly grayish yellow or it is colourless. The rostrum is two-jointed, long, and it bears two semicircular rostral lamellae sitting far apart. The dorsal antenna is short. At the base of the dorsal antenna sits on either side a lateral knob. On the surface of the trunk are several longish cuticular ribs, two of which pass on the rump as lumbar plicae. The trunk passes gradually into the rump, and this into the foot. The foot is short broad and three-jointed. The first foot-joint is very long, in the anterior apart is an inner partition, which observed from outside appears to be the limit of two segments. The posterior border of the first foot-segment has a strongly protruding knob. The spurs are long, far apart, and they are divided by a straight interspace. The outer border of the spurs is oblique, the inner one cut out. The wheel-organ is as broad as the head. The wheel-discs which bear sensitive papillae with sensitive setae, are separated by a deep but not too broad sulcus. The upper lip is composed of two lobes, separated by a deep and broad interspace, in which sits a triangular or semicircular and low knob. D.f.: 2/2 rare, common 3/3. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Mniobia tetraodon (Ehrenberg, 1848) (ref. ID; 1345, 2275, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)

    Synonym

    Callidina tentaculata Bergendal, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345); Callidina tetraodon Ehrenberg, 1848 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Mniobia tetraodon Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

    Descriptions

    It is described here in three slightly different forms.

    The colourless or light yellowish body attains a length of 620 to 726 µm. The cuticle is smooth. The digestive tube is always dark yellow-brown. The rostrum is long and broad with relatively small semicircular rostral lamellae. The rostral lamellae are far apart from each other. The dorsal antenna is short, a large side-knobs sits on either side of the base of the dorsal antenna. The surface of the trunk is covered with several longish cuticular folds. The foot is short, broad, and four jointed. The spurs are long, sharply pointed. Both spurs are fixed to pillow-shaped extensions, which are close together at the base. The last foot-joint ends in suction-plate, it is long and fairly broad. The wheel-organ is wider than the head, it is narrower than the trunk. The sulcus is deep and broad. The wheel-discs are provided with sensitive papillae bearing sensitive setae. The upper lip runs into two obliquely terminated and fairly close-sitting lobes, which reach up to the level of the wheel-discs. The bottom of the sulcus between the lobes of the upper lip is straight and short. The borders of the jaws are broad dark brown. D.f.: 4/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

  • First form: Length of creeping animal 288; length of feeding animal 187; width across the trochal discs 51; width across the head 42; width across neck segment 36; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 84; length of spurs 13.5; width between spur tips 24 µm. (ref. ID; 2275)
  • Second form: Length of creeping animal 412 µm. (ref. ID; 2275)
  • Third form: Length of creeping animal 225; length of feeding animal 165; width across the trochal discs 46; width across the head 39; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 54; length of spurs 13.5; length of unci 24 µm. (ref. ID; 2275)