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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Philodina

Philodina Ehrenberg, 1830 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514, 3688, 7815) or 1930 (ref. ID; 7849), Ehrenberg, 1832 emend. Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 3137)

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

Class Rotatoria: Order Bdelloida: Family Philodinidae (ref. ID; 7097)

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

Most confused Embata

ref. ID; 1633

With a well-developed rostrum and corona, the latter always capable of being retracted into the mouth. With four plain toes, of which two are dorsal and two terminal. Stomach with a true lumen. Intestine ciliates. Cuticle smooth. Spurs not particularly long. Not usually commensals. This species present common in sewage treatment processes and in old protozoans cultures. (ref. ID; 1633)

ref. ID; 1923

Spurs short, or if elongate, not flat and wide. Foot somewhat less than half total length. Mostly littoral. (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 2892

Distinct lumen passes through syncytium of stomach; rostrum short; cerebral eyes generally present; foot 4-5 segmented; 4 toes; trunk relatively wide; integument mostly soft and smooth. Oviparous with one exception, P. gregaria. (ref. ID; 2892)

ref. ID; 3137

The foot has four toes. The spurs are not very long, and they are not leafshaped. The cuticle is in the majority of cases fine and thin. Oviparous, only one exception is viviparous. The upper lip is always broad, varying in shape. The cuticle bears rarely cuticular granules or cuticular appendages, very rarely hypodermal knobs. The eye-spots are developed in the majority of species, but in some species the eye-spots are very weak or are completely stunted. Some species have individuals with or without eye-spots. Usually the animals live in water, relatively rarely in drying masses. (ref. ID; 3137)

ref. ID; 3334

In this genus, the wheel organ is perfectly developed and the rostrum is retractable. The foot, which is almost half the length of the body, has two short spurs and four toes. The cuticle, in the majority of cases, is thin and lacks cuticular thickenings and appendages. Normally there are two eye-spots. Apart from P. gregaria, which is viviparous, the genus is oviparous. (ref. ID; 3334)

ref. ID; 7849

The foot of this genus has four toes (Fig.10b, 11d). Mostly, there are two cerebral eyes at the end of the brain. Sometimes, these reddish pigment spots are very pale. The skin is smooth, but, often, there are longitudinal folds. The spurs are not long. The wheel organ is wider than the head (Fig.11a). The upper lip is wide. The space between the two trochus discs is relatively wide and never indistinctly narrow. The rostrum is wide and short. When creeping, it is protruded with all ciliae (Fig.10). Almost all speices have the tooth formula 2/2, less often 4/4 or 5/5 (Fig.11b-c). So far. body appendices have only been known from Philodina alata which Murray has described from the Antarctica. This species carries on both side, on the widest part of the body a small cavernous bulge, and on the preanalsegment, there is a dorsal low hunch (cf. Donner, 1965:207-208, Fig.151). (ref. ID; 7849)
  1. Philodina aculeata Ehrenberg, 1832
    See; Dissotrocha aculeata (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3688)
  2. Philodina aculeata medioaculeata Janson, 1983 (ref. ID; 3688), var. medio-aculeata Janson, 1983 (ref. ID; 3137)
    See; Dissotrocha aculeata (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
  3. Philodina acuticornis Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)
    Syn; Philodina erythrophthalma Bryce, 1897 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  4. Philodina acuticornis odiosa Milne (ref. ID; 1473, 2609) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519), f. odiosa Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2266)
  5. Philodina acuticornis var. minor Wulfert, 1942 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or Pax & Wulfert, 1942 (ref. ID; 3137)
  6. Philodina alata Murray (ref. ID; 7849)
  7. Philodina alpium Murray, 1905
    See; Pleuretra alpium (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  8. Philodina americana Donner, 1950 or 1051
    See; Pleuretra sulcata (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  9. Philodina amethystina Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 2646, 3137, 7857 original paper)
  10. Philodina antarctica (ref. ID; 1519)
  11. Philodina arndti Wulfert, 1961 (ref. ID; 2814 original paper)
  12. Philodina brevipes Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  13. Philodina brycei Murray, 1905
    See; Pleuretra brycei (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  14. Philodina calcarata Schmarda, 1894
    See; Philodina megalotrocha (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  15. Philodina calceata Donner, 1970 (ref. ID; 2608 original paper)
  16. Philodina cinnabarina Zacharias, 1886
    See; Philodina roseola (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3271, 3688)
  17. Philodina citrina Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2107, 2608, 2892, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2932, 3271) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)
  18. Philodina collaris Ehrenberg, 1832
    See; Habrotrocha collaris (ref. ID; 2892, 3136)
  19. Philodina commensalis Western, 1892 or 1893
    See; Embata commensalis (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  20. Philodina connvergens Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  21. Philodina cristata Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
  22. Philodina de koningi Donner, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 1519, 2636 original paper, 2649)
    Syn; Didymodactylus A de Koning, 1929 (ref. ID; 1345); Didymodactylus duplicalcaris de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345); Philodina duplicalcar de Koning, 1929 (ref. ID; 2649)
  23. Philodina dobrogensis Rudescu, 1960 (ref. ID; 3688 original paper) reported year? (ref. ID; 2628)
  24. Philodina duplicalcar de Koning, 1929 (ref. ID; 2649) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
    See; Philodina dekoningi (ref. ID; 2649)
  25. Philodina erythrophthalma Bryce, 1897
    See; Philodina acuticornis (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  26. Philodina erythrophthalma Ehrenberg, 1830 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1832 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
    See; Philodina roseola (ref. ID; 3137)
    Syn; Philodina roseola erythrophthalma Steinecke, 1924 (ref. ID; 3688)
  27. Philodina eurystephana Schulte, 1954 (ref. ID; 1345)
  28. Philodina flaviceps Bryce, 1906 (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3523)
  29. Philodina foissneri Koste, 1996 (ref. ID; 7849 original paper)
  30. Philodina grandis Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2272, 7849)
  31. Philodina gregaria Murray (ref. ID; 1519, 2644, 3334)
  32. Philodina hamata Murray, 1906
    See; Embata hamata (ref. ID; 2892, 3137)
  33. Philodina hexodonta Bergendal, 1892
    See; Habrotrocha collais (ref. ID; 3136, 3688)
  34. Philodina humerosa Murray, 1905
    See; Pleuretra humerosa (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688)
  35. Philodina inopinata Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345, 3372)
  36. Philodina intermedia de Beauchamp, 1909
    See; Abrochtha intermedeia (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  37. Philodina laticeps Murray, 1905
    See; Embata laticeps (ref. ID; 1345, 2892, 3137)
  38. Philodina laticornis Murray, 1905 or 1915
    See; Embata laticornis (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  39. Philodina inopinata Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345)
  40. Philodina lepta Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  41. Philodina macrostyla Ehrenberg, 1838
    See; Dissotrocha macrostyla (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2892, 3137, 3275, 3688)
  42. Philodina macrostyla var. tuberculata Murray, 1908
    See; Dissotrocha macrotysla var. tuberculata (ref. ID; 3137)
  43. Philodina megalocephala Hauer, 1936
    See; Philodina megalotrocha (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  44. Philodina megalotrocha Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 2268, 2892, 2932, 3137, 3514, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3271)
    Syn; Philodina calcarata Schmarda, 1859 (ref. ID; 3688) or 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Philodina megalocephala Hauer, 1936 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  45. Philodina morigera Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3137)
  46. Philodina nemoralis Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 2273, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3523, 7857)
  47. Philodina nitida Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2272)
  48. Philodina pannosa Bailay, 1851 or Bailey, 1851
    See; Dissotrocha macrostyla (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  49. Philodina parvicalcar de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345)
  50. Philodina plena (Bryce, 1894) (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2266, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)
    Syn; Callidina plena Bryce, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Philodina plena Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  51. Philodina proterva Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2606, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
  52. Philodina quadrata de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345)
  53. Philodina rapida Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345, 2606) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)
  54. Philodina rosea var. nivalis Voigt, 1840 or 1841
    See; Philodina roseola (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
  55. Philodina roseola Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 1923, 2268, 2892, 3137, 3275, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 741, 3271, 4607, 5022) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)
    Syn; Philodina cinnabarina Zacharias, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3271, 3688); Philodina erythrophthalma Ehrenberg, 1832 not Philodina erythrophthalma Bryce, 1897 (ref. ID; 3137); Philodina rosea var. nivalis Voigt, 1841 (ref. ID; 3137); Philodina roseola var. alpina Calloni, 1889 (ref. ID; 1345); Philodina roseola var. glacialis Voigt, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345); Philodina roseola var. nivalis Voigt, 1840 (ref. ID; 3688) or 1841 (ref. ID; 1345)
  56. Philodina roseola var. nivalis Voigt, 1841
    See; Philodina roseola (ref. ID; 1345)
  57. Philodina rugosa Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857), rugosa rugosa Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 3508)
  58. Philodina rugosa var. callosa Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688)
  59. Philodina rugosa var. coriacea Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 3137, 3275, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2589, 7857)
  60. Philodina squamosa Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 2271)
  61. Philodina striata Rodewald, 1937 (ref. ID; 3688)
  62. Philodina tenuicalcar de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345)
    Syn; Philodina A de Koning, 1929 (ref. ID; 1345)
  63. Philodina tranquilla Wulfert, 1943 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1942 (ref. ID; 3137)
  64. Philodina tridentata Rodewald, 1935 (ref. ID; 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 1345)
  65. Philoidna tuberculata Gosse, 1886
    See; Dissotrocha macrostyla (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688), Dissotrocha macrostyla var. tuberculata (ref. ID; 3137)
  66. Philodina vorax (Janson, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 2276, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857)
    Syn; Callidina vorax Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 3137, 3688); Philodina vorax Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

Philodina acuticornis Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857)

Synonym

Philodina erythrophthalma Bryce, 1897 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

Descriptions

The body is of medium size (363 µm), it is transparent, colourless to yellow-brownish. The digestive tube is yellow-brown to dark-brown. The wheel-organ is much wider than the head. The wheel-discs are far apart and they bear sensitive setae on small sensitive papillae. The two lobes of the upper lip are circular, and they are far apart. The eye-spots are small, brownish red, and very often they are altogether lacking. The dorsal antenna is very long, and its tip is three-lobed. The foot is short and broad, the spurs are far apart, narrow, and sharply pointed. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Philodina acuticornis var. minor Wulfert, 1942 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or Pax & Wulfert, 1942 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

The small body is transparent, smooth, and colourless. The eye-spots are yellowish red, in the young individuals the eye-spots are so clear that they can be seen only with great difficulty. The rostrum is two-jointed with two rostral lamellae. The first neck-segment is laterally arched. The foot is five jointed. The spurs are far apart, long, and conical. The wheel-organ is broad. The wheel-discs are separated by a deep sulcus. On the wheel-discs sit large sensitive papillae bearing long sensitive setae. The upper lip is highly arched in the middle and without characteristic lateral tips. The lower lip is broad, in the middle it is broadly but shallowly notched. D.f.: 2/2. Mastax for the small size of the body strikingly large (16 µm). (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

The length of the feeding animal 125-140 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

Philodina amethystina Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 2646, 3137, 7857 original paper)

Descriptions

The surface of the large and stout body is smooth. The skin is light or dark purple blue. The nutritive tract is yellowish brown. The foot is a large and four-jointed. The spurs are large, sharply conical, and far apart at the base. The four toes are very well developed. The wheel-organ is not known to me. But in accordance with the largeness of the retracted wheel-discs it will be very broad. The dorsal antenna is usually retracted. Mastax is unusually large with one large tooth on each ventral side of the jaw. D.f.: 2/2 the thick teeth are anteriorly and posteriorly accompanied by several fine striae. Two large eye-spots sit on the brain. Thus this animal belongs to the form which live in water, and do not fall into anabiosis, or they die, in a very short time, all individuals were dead when I put the mosses under the microscope, i.e. five months after of collecting the moss. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

The length of the body is over 300 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

Philodina brevipes Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The body is large, strikingly broad, stout, and transparent. The digestive tract and the ovaries are slightly reddish. The rostrum is long and broad, two-jointed. The rostral lamellae are large, semicircular and the sensitive setae covered by them are unusually long, and it is not rare that they are radiating in the creeping action, and also in the feeding action. In the feeding action the rostrum is usually retracted. The dorsal antenna is very long and slender. The foot is four-jointed, short but broad. The spurs are short, blunt conical and far apart. The upper lip is anteriorly broad and lobed. The eye-spots are thin in the shape of transversal line and brownish red. D.f.: 2/2. Sometimes the surface of the trunk is covered with a thin layer of mucous secreted by the skin. Various particles of detritus, bacillaria, and bacilla are pasted on the surface of this mucous layer, so that the trunk is not transparent. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

The length of the body is about 500 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

Philodina citrina Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2107, 2608, 2892, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2932, 3271) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)

Descriptions

Foot 4-segmented, short and wide, with wide coniform spurs; integument yellowish to greenish; eye red-brown; obliquely placed; trochus discs wider than cingulum pad. Resembles P. roseola and P. brevipes Murray, 1902. (ref. ID; 2892)

The body is long (300-480 µm), it is broad and stout. The trunk is greenish yellow, the head, the neck and the foot are colourless. The trunk is slightly swollen, and the central trunk is sharply set off from the rump with the foot. The foot is short, broad and four-jointed. The spurs are broad at the base conical, and sharply pointed, they are somewhat longer than the joint to which they are fixed. The wheel-organ is broad. The wheel-discs are far apart and they bear sensitive setae on sensitive papillae. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 300-480; trophi 29-30; spurs 17-20 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Philodina connvergens Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The body has a length of 240 to 280 µm in the feeding action and nearly 353 µm in the creeping animal. The whole body is light roseate, and has some longish cuticular folds. The wheel-organ is distinctly narrower than the trunk, it is only as wide as its prominent mouth-corners. The wheel-discs are close together, and they bear large papillae under sensitive setae. The discs are inclined towards the body axis. The sulcus is broad and shallow, the bottom of it is strongly arched upwards. The upper lip is moderately arched. The jaw at the level of the teeth are shortened from the outer side and they bear here on each jaw a tooth pointing backwards. The dorsal antenna is short it is only as wide as half the width of the neck. The foot is short, four-jointed. The spurs are very long with straight interspace, at the base they are extended. The middle part of the spurs is of equal width and it is only at the tip that the spurs narrow abruptly. The dorsal toes are much shorter than the ventral ones. The eye-spots are light brownish coloured. In the walls of the stomach are numerous yellow oil-drops. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Philodina cristata Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)

Descriptions

The large and stout body is 370 to 402 µm long. The surface of the clear yellowish-brown body is smooth. On the head sits a two-jointed rostrum, which bears two semicircular rostral lamellae. The dorsal antenna is short and without lateral knobs on the first neck-segment. The trunk is stout, and it bears some pairs of not too prominent longish cuticular ribs. The trunk passes clearly into the much slender rump. The rump passes gradually into the short, broad, and four-jointed foot. The spurs are minute, sharp conical, moderately divergent, and they are separated by a moderately convex interspace. The toes, principally the dorsal pair, are tiny. The wheel-organ is much broader than the head. The wheel-discs sit on short wheel-pedicels, they are separated a deep and wide sulcus. This is covered for the larger part by the highly arched upper lip. The upper lip is blunt triangular in the middle it is broadly, shallowly and obliquely cut out. On the upper side the upper lip is stiffened by a cuticular lamella, which in the notch of the upper lip lies free and overhangs the upper lip in form of a lip ligule. This lip ligule reaches to the level of the wheel-discs. The wheel-discs are smooth, without papillae or setae. D.f.: 2/2; 2-1/1-2; 3/3. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: The eggs are slightly brownish, and they have irregularly scattered small semiglobular knob. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina flaviceps Bryce, 1906 (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3523)

    Descriptions

    The body is small (320 µm) and relatively broad. The cuticle is smooth. The trunk is light yellow, and the head with the neck is brownish coloured. The digestive tube is reddish. The wheel-organ is much wider than the collar. The wheel-discs are far apart, and they are provided with long sensitive setae on short papillae. The anterior border of the upper lip is broad with four shallow lobes. The foot is short and stout. The spurs are blunt conical, short, and they are divided by a small interspace. The spurs are parallel. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina foissneri Koste, 1996 (ref. ID; 7849 original paper)

    Descriptions

    In the first infusion of the sample, those Philodina-morphes were vividly swimming around which carried on both sides of the first foot segment hanging down, papilla-shaped appendices. Their movements are so fast that the wheel organ is extended only for short times. Therefore, it was impossible to draw a figure. Unfortunately, these animals died after a very short time and have not occurred again in the next infusions. Beside the short head segment, there are paired pointed triangular short lamellae. Otherwise all characteristics of the genus are existing, e.g. the two slanting cerebral eyes, the trophus with the tooth formula 2/2, the shape of the spurs, the four toes and the stomach-syncytium with a clearly visible tube. When creeping, the animals reaches lengths of up to 400 µm. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Etymology

    I dedicate this species to Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Foissner, University of Salzburg, who has collected this soil sample. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Examined materials

    A soil sample out of a dried rockpool (lithotelma) on a dolomit hill in the Etosha National Park, N-Namibia, South Africa. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Philodina grandis Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2272, 7849)

    Descriptions

    The feeding head is one of the most impressive of all Bdelloids, the discs are very large with papillae and sensitive setae. The pedicels are very flexible so that the inclination of the discs is constantly varied and sometimes one disc is everted long before the other. The mouth folds are strong. The rostrum is stout with distinctive lamellae with the cilia projecting from the side rather than the front. Dorsal antenna stout, no eyes, mastax large and clearly defined. Uncus with brown borders. In colour light to medium brown with the wide lumen much darker, trunk but not foot or spurs most delicately stippled. The spurs were cut out with pointed tips and with a fairly wide interspace, at rest the inner edges were often parallel, at other times they were widely divergent. Toes short and stout, the first two very large. A restless feeder. (ref. ID; 2272)

    Typical for this species is the wide wheel organ with trochus discs positioned widely apart from each other, separated by a extrem broad upper lip. The spurs of the observed animals are short. The dorsal toes are larger than the ventral ones (Fig.11d). The trophi has the tooth formula 5/5 which is rare in this genus. The trochus discs carry a papilla with 4 sensory bristles. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Examined materials

    A soil sample out of a dried rockpool (lithotelma) on a dolomit hill in the Etosha National Park, N-Namibia, South Africa. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 750; length of feeding animal 500; width across the trochal discs 225; width across the head 90; length of unci 48x22.5; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 125; mastax 60x90; length of spurs 21 µm. Dorsal antenna half neck width; dental formula 1+4+1/1+4+1. (ref. ID; 2272)

    The feeding animal has a total length of 320 µm. When creeping the length is 400-500 µm. (ref. ID; 7849)

    Philodina gregaria Murray (ref. ID; 1519, 2644, 3334)

    Descriptions

    It is a very large rotifer with a total length over 600 µm. The body is bright red and there are two orange eyespots. The ciliary discs are large, being more than twice the width of the neck. The teeth on the ramate trophi have a dental formula of 2+1/2+1. The spurs are moderately long and widely separated. P. gregaria is viviparous and up to 32 young per adult were produced in culture experiments. (ref. ID; 3334)

    Philodina lepta Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The body of this very small species (creeping 130 to 135 µm long, feeding only 100 µm) is smooth and colourless. The rostrum is short and broad without rostral lamellae. The foot carries two short conical finger-shaped spurs. The tips of them are elongated and pointed. The interspace of the spurs is broad. The wheel-organ is a little wider than the head, the wheel-pedicels are high, with a wide and deep sulcus. On each wheel-disc sits a large sensitive papilla bearing a long sensitive seta. The upper lip is high and trilobed. The eye-spots are lacking. The mastax is relatively very large with D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina megalotrocha Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 2268, 2892, 2932, 3137, 3514, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3271)

    Synonym

    Philodina calcarata Schmarda, 1859 (ref. ID; 3688) or 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Philodina megalocephala Hauer, 1936 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    Feeding (extended) animal with barrel-shaped body; corona large, low; sulcus wide; dorsal antenna long; foot sharply demarcated from body; eyespots oval, obliquely placed; spurs short. Eggs adhered at right angles to stems and algae. (ref. ID; 2892)

    The body has a length of 120 to 270 µm. It is colourless, extended like a bag. The wheel-organ is very broad, with wheel-discs are very far apart. The upper lip is on the anterior border broad and straight, the eye-spots are always longish oval. The foot is short, broad and it is together with the rump sharply set off from the central trunk. The spurs are broad, blunt pointed, and they are shorter than the length of the joint to which they are fixed. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    Length 120-300; corona width (of 275 µm feeding animal) 69; trunk width 92; antenna 40 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

    Philodina morigera Donner, 1949 (ref. ID; 1345, 2635 original paper, 3137)

    Descriptions

    The body of the stout animal attains a length of 440 µm. The surface of the cuticle is very densely and finely granulated. The body is brownish coloured. The eye-spots are not developed. The rostrum is long, two-jointed, and it bears two large semicircular rostral lamellae. The dorsal antenna is short. On the dorsal surface of the trunk are several, very strongly developed ribs. The trunk passes gradually into the rump and this into the foot. The foot is short, broad, and it is four-jointed The spurs are small, far apart, at the base they are broadly conical and sharply pointed at the tips. The toes are very small. The wheel-organ is much wider than the head. The wheel-discs bear on small sensitive papillae sensitive setae. The wheel-pedicels are separated by a deep and broad sulcus. The upper lip reaches half the length of the wheel-discs, which are turned towards the dorsal side. In the middle of the anterior border of the upper lip is a straight interspace, at both ends of this interspace sits a large semiglobular lobe. The outer edges of the upper lip are prolonged into pointed tips so that the anterior border of the upper lip is four-lobed. D.f.: 3/4. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina nemoralis Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 2273, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3523, 7857)

    Descriptions

    It is small in size, light brown in colour with a smooth cuticle. Lamellae small and widely separated, two round pale red cerebral eyes. Discs wider than the head with sensitive papillae and setae. The upper lip with two small lobes lying against the short pedicels. Foot short, stout, spurs narrow and sharply pointed but not very tiny or very far apart. (ref. ID; 2273)

    The tiny but dumpy body has a length of 285 µm. The cuticle on the surface of the trunk is smooth, and it forms on the dorsal side of the trunk several longish ridges. The wheel-organ is a little wider than the head. The wheel-discs are far apart, and they are provided with papilleous sensitive setae. The upper lip is on the anterior border wide and with shallow lobes. The eye-spots are circular, they are very small and scarcely visible, so that it is easy to overlook them. The stomach is either colourless or much oftener it is slightly yellowish, occasionally very yellowish green. The foot is short and stout. The spurs are short, very far apart, narrow, and sharply pointed. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    Length of animal creeping 275; length of feeding animal 180 (others 200-250); length between anterior edge of discs and the mastax 45; width across trochal discs 54; width across head 39; length of unci 18; length of spur 7+1/2; straight interspace between base of spurs 4+1/2 µm. Dental formula 2/2; dorsal antenna half to three-quarter neck width. (ref. ID; 2273)

    Philodina nitida Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 2272)

    Descriptions

    Colour a pale straw, darker brown in lumen which was wide and looped, cuticle smooth, trunk with light longitudinal folds. Two large oval eye spots yellowish in colour, dorsal antenna fairly long, uncus large. Discs large with sensitive papillae and setae, sulcus rather wide and deep with folds and serrations rather difficult to define. As Milne mentions in his description of the variety decens with the movement of the discs on their pedicels the serrations may vary. Foot four segments, spurs as Milne states, rather like P. rugosa, of fair length narrowing on a point with wide slightly convex interspace, four toes the first two large. Feeds very freely without even the tips of the spurs exposed, trunk wide and rectangular. (ref. ID; 2272)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 440; length of feeding animal 312; width across the trochal discs 120; width across the head 75; length across the neck 60; length of unci 30; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 75; length of spurs 16; interspace between base of spurs 18; eye-space 18 µm. Dorsal antenna about two-thirds neck width; dental formula 3+1/3+1. (ref. ID; 2272)

    Philodina plena (Bryce, 1894) (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2266, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)

    Synonym

    Callidina plena Bryce, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Philodina plena Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The dumpy body is nearly 380 µm in length, it is colourless or it is often light yellow-brown. The cuticle is smooth. The lateral circular longish folds are much more strongly marked than the central folds of the trunk. The wheel-pedicels are divergent, so that the sulcus is deep and U-shaped. The upper lip bears two conical lobes, which are fairly far apart. The wheel-discs are a little inclined towards the central axis of the body. The foot is four-jointed, short, but it is broad. The spurs are short, at the base broad, the tips are blunt pointed. The interspace is narrow and straight. The eye-spots are lacking D.f.: 2/2. A third much thinner tooth is very often developed, and it is placed alternatively in both jaws. (ref. ID; 3137)
  • Egg: The egg has 14-18 blunt and conical outgrowths along a line drawn from pole to pole. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina proterva Milne, 1916 (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2606, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609)

    Descriptions

    The body is smooth, small, and glaucous in colour. The rostral lamellae are large and transparent. Dorsal antenna is short. The eye-spots are lacking. The foot is narrow and short, of four segments. The spurs are very distinct and far apart. The wheel-organ is a few broader than the head. The wheel-discs bear small sensitive papillae each with a sensitive seta. The upper lip is wide in front and it is almost straight across. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The length of the body is 347 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina roseola Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 1828, 1923, 2268, 2892, 3137, 3275, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 741, 3271, 4607, 5022) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1519)

    Synonym

    Philodina cinnabarina Zacharias, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3271, 3688); Philodina erythrophthalma Ehrenberg, 1832 not Philodina erythrophthalma Bryce, 1897 (ref. ID; 3137); Philodina rosea var. nivalis Voigt, 1841 (ref. ID; 3137); Philodina roseola var. alpina Calloni, 1889 (ref. ID; 1345); Philodina roseola var. glacialis Voigt, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345); Philodina roseola var. nivalis Voigt, 1840 (ref. ID; 3688) or 1841 (ref. ID; 1345)

    Descriptions

    The effect of temperature for growth and reproduction. (ref. ID; 741)

    Animal pink-red, occasionally colourless; head distinct from trunk, but foot not; spurs often with fine spines; trochus discs wider than cingulum pad; upper lip wide, notched or medially slightly elevated; sulcus wide; animal active. Often confused with similar species, e.g. P. acuticornis, P. rugosa, inter alia, on basis of colourling and habit. (ref. ID; 2892)

    The body has a length of 500 µm, and it is completely colourless with cleared eye-spots (Philodina erythrophthalam Ehrenberg) to red (Philodina cinnabarina Zacharias) with a multitude of transitory colourshades. The surface of the trunk is smooth, the cuticle has several cuticular longish ridges. The wheel-organ is much wide than the head the wheel-discs are far apart, and are provided with sensitive setae. The upper lip is broad, and has in the middle shallow and narrow notches. The central trunk passes gradually into the rump and this into the foot. The foot is five-jointed. The spurs are longer than the joint to which they are fixed, and they are sharply conical. The bases of the spurs are not too far apart. The eye-spots are of a clear red and always clearly visible. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    Length 320-540; trophi 18-29; spurs 12-16 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

    Philodina rugosa Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 7857), rugosa rugosa Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 3508)

    Descriptions

    The body is minute, very stout, opaque, and usually reddish brown. The dorsal cuticular folds are very well marked, and they are accompanied by alternate halfmoon-shaped cuticular thicknesses, which form on the dorsal surface of the trunk characteristic longish ridges, which are transversally wavy. Between these large thickness the cuticle is covered with irregularly scattered smaller cuticular granules. The head, the neck, and the foot are completely smooth. The foot is short and broad, the spurs are short conical, sharp, and very far apart. The eye-spots are very small, sometimes completely indistinct, usually circular. The sulcus is broad and deep. The upper lip is on the anterior border very broad and it is shallowly notched. D.f.: 3/3. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Measurements

    The length of the body is 230 to 270 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina rugosa var. coriacea Bryce, 1903 (ref. ID; 3137, 3275, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2589, 7857)

    Descriptions

    The body is small (230-270 µm), dark yellow-brown or red brown. The coloration of the digestive tube is specially clear. The whole surface of the trunk is covered with a multitude of cuticular hemispherical granules and it is opaque. The spurs are separated by a broad and moderately arched interspace. The foot, the head, and the neck are completely smooth. The foot is short, the spurs are narrow, sharply pointed, short, and far apart. The eye-spots are not visible in the majority of individuals. But in this country we have also individuals with well visible eye-spots. The sulcus is deep and broad. The anterior border of the upper lip is broad and shallowly notched. D.f.: 3/3. Some individuals have in addition a fourth, much thinner tooth on each jaw. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina squamosa Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 2271)

    Descriptions

    It is small, dark brown in colour, with trunk so opaque that neither eye spots nor mastax could be seen. Sluggish in movement and also in the evertion of the discs, one usually appeared some little time before the other. Discs wider than the head, sulcus fairly wide and deep, upper lip low, rounded, bilobed. Rostrum broad and stout with long cilia, dorsal antenna long and equal in width to the neck. Foot not seen, spurs short, conical with no interspace, lightly granulated. Rectangular mucous plates on the longitudinal folds, they are fairly large with a little of the granulated cuticle showing between them. The median line on each plate was not present, otherwise it agreed very closely with the description given by Murray. Jaws were extracted to show dental formula 2/2. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Comments

    This species was found by Murray (1906) in a moss sample sent him from Darjiling, India, elevation 6,000 ft. and does not appear to have been reported since. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Measurements

    Length of creeping animal 200; length of the feeding animal 160 µm. (ref. ID; 2271)

    Philodina tranquilla Wulfert, 1943 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1942 (ref. ID; 3137)

    Descriptions

    The body is 275 to 300 µm long. The surface of the skin is smooth and transparent. The inner organs such as brain, mastax, muscles, and ovaries are grayish red, the stomach is usually light green. The animal is therefore not transparent, only the foot is much clearer and transparent. The two-jointed rostrum bears two rostral lamellae. The dorsal antenna equals 3/4 of the neck width, and has three joints. The body is relatively broad, as is also the stout and short foot, which consists of three joints. The foot passes gradually into the rump. The spurs are short, conical, their tips are very slender, and they are bent. The interspace between the spurs is short and straight. The wheel-organ is only a little wider than the head. The wheel-discs are separated by a wide but not too deep sulcus. At the rim of the bottom of the sulcus the collar forms two globular knobs. The upper lip is flatly arched. The eye-spots are large, yellowish red, and not bright. D.f.: 2/2 or 3/3; one or two posterior teeth are usually slightly more slender than the preceding teeth. The special movements and behavior in the feeding action, mentioned by Wulfert in his original description of this species, do not constitute distinguishing features, as I have observed the feeding action with only one exserted wheel-discs, feeding action with exserted rostrum, feeding with exserted foot, and circulation of feeding animal round the pasted toes in several species of the genus Philodina and also in other genera, Each of the individuals observed changed its behaviors according to the environment. In the majority of species I observed unquiet feeding action, which alternated with creeping action, then quiet feeding, and only there feeding action by circulation of the animal round the pasted toes, which finally may pass into swimming with extended wheel-discs. (ref. ID; 3137)

    Philodina vorax (Janson, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 2276, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857)

    Synonym

    Callidina vorax Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 3137, 3688); Philodina vorax Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)

    Descriptions

    The body is always reddish, and has a length of 440 µm. The wheel-organ is wider than the head, and it is used very often and for a long time. The wheel-discs are far apart, the sulcus is deep. The upper lip is high and bilobed. The rostrum is strong with large lateral very prominent rostral lamellae. The dorsal antenna is short. The foot is stout and short; it passes gradually into the rump but between the rump and the central trunk the body is suddenly divided. The spurs are short, very far apart. The spurs are hollow, but I did not observe, that the tip of the spurs were provided with any opening for the outlet of the sticky mass from the foot-glands. Nor have I observed that the animals adhere with the tip of the spurs to their base. The posterior border of the joint bearing the spurs has a cuticular rump, which covers nearly the whole 1/2 of the base of the spurs. The spurs can move towards and away from each other. The toes, especially the dorsal toes, are short. The eye-spots are lacking. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)