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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Rotaria

Rotaria Scopoli, 1777 (ref. ID; 7815)

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

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

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

Synonym Esechielina Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3688), Ezechielina Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3688), Furcularia Lamarck, 1816 (ref. ID; 3688), Rotatoria Schepens, 1954 (ref. ID; 3688), Rotifer Cuvier, 1798 (ref. ID; 2978, 3137, 3514, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 1663

With a well-developed rostrum and corona, the latter always capable of being retracted into the mouth. With three plain toes, one dorsal and two terminal. Two eyes usually present on proboscis. Viviparous. Some species greatly elongated (up to 1.5 mm long). Stomach with a true lumen. Intestine ciliated. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Eyes, if present, in rostrum; may be absent. Littoral, some epizotic. Most confused Macrotrachela. Rotaria, as compared with Macrotrachela, tend to have elongate spurs and toes. (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 2892

Corona with broad sulcus; unci with 2/2 strong teeth, seldom 3/3; rostrum generally with paired narrow eyes, sometimes with additional pigments; body mostly long; foot with 3 toes; viviparous. Species live between plants, in detritus, in muddy water, on crustacean, insects and their larvae. (ref. ID; 2892)

ref. ID; 3137

The foot has three toes. The body is long up very far protruding. All parts of the body such as the rostrum, dorsal antenna, foot, spurs, and toes may have a uncommon long development in single species of this genus. The eye-spots, when they are developed, sit in the rostrum, and they split very often into spots siting in pairs. On the surface of the trunk a mucous cover may often be seen. The rostrum in the feeding action is usually extended. All species are viviparous. (ref. ID; 3137)

ref. ID; 3334

In this genus, all parts of the body, particularly the foot, spurs and toes, may be greatly extended. Eyespots, when present, are found on the rostrum. The foot has tree toes. All members of the genus are viviparous. (ref. ID; 3334)
  1. Rotaria citrina (Ehrenberg, 1838) (ref. ID; 1345, 2646, 3137, 3688) or 1832 (ref. ID; 2892) reported year? (ref. ID; 4607)
    Syn; Rotaria citrina Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Rotaria rotatoria f. B Montet, 1915 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer citrina Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer citrinus Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or 1832 (ref. ID; 2892)
  2. Rotaria citrinus (ref. ID; 1923)
  3. Rotaria curtipes (Murray, 1911) (ref. ID; 1345, 2269, 2276)
    Syn; Rotaria curtipes Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345); Rotifer curtipes Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276)
  4. Rotaria elongata (Weber, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474)
    Syn; Rotaria elongata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688); Rotifer elongatus Weber, 1889 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
  5. Rotaria exoculis de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345, 2274)
  6. Rotaria gracilicauda Bory de St. Vincent, 1959
    See; Rotaria macrura Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688)
  7. Rotaria haptica (Gosse, 1886) (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688)
    Syn; Rotaria haptica Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Rotifer hapticus Hudson & Gosse, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3688)
  8. Rotaria laticeps Wulfert, 1942 (ref. ID; 1345, 2646) reported year? (ref. ID; 3402)
  9. Rotaria macroceros (Gosse, 1851) (ref. ID; 1345, 1936, 2275, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3688)
    Syn; Rotatoria macroceros Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer macroceros Gosse, 1851 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3688); Rotifer motacilla Bartsch, 1870 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  10. Rotaria macrura (ref. ID; 1861, 3292)
  11. Rotaria macrura (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1468, 2276, 2757, 2892, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 2932, 3208) or Ehrenberg, 1832 (Schrank, 1803) (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Esechielina gracilicauda Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotaria macrura Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer gracilicauda Irosc, 1913 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer macrourus Schrank, 1803 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer macrurus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3208, 3688) not Rotifer macrourus Herrmann, 1783 (ref. ID; 3137); Vorticella macroura O.F. Muller, 1785 (ref. ID; 3688)
  12. Rotaria macrura (Schrank, 1803) (ref. ID; 1828, 2266)
  13. Rotaria magna-calcarata Parsons, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
    Syn; Callidina magna-calcarata Parsons, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Callidina socialis Janson, 1893 not Kellicot, 1888 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria magna-calcarata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Rotifer magna-calcaratus Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688)
  14. Rotaria mento (ref. ID; 1936, 2269)
  15. Rotaria montana (Murray, 1911) (ref. ID; 2276, 2757)
    Syn; Rotifer montanus Murray, 1911 (ref. ID; 2276, 2757)
  16. Rotaria murrayi Bartos, 1951 (ref. ID; 1345, 1474)
  17. Rotaria neptunia (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1804, 1923, 1936, 2202, 2266, 2274, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3514, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 3040, 3062, 3141, 3271) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292)
    Syn; Actinurus neptunius Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3271, 3514, 3688); Rotaria neptunia Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer actinurus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3271, 3688); Rotifer macrourus Schrank, 1803 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688); Rotifer neptunius (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 3141), Jennings, 1900 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3271) non Rotifer neptunius (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 3141) or Jennings, 1900 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3271, 3688) non Rotifer neptunius Milne, 1886 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria neptunia Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345); Vorticella macroura Herrmann, 1783 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
  18. Rotaria neptunoida Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 1936) reported year? (ref. ID; 3688)
    See; Rotaria neptunia
    Syn; Rotifer neptunius Milne, 1886 (ref. ID; 1345)
  19. Rotaria neptunoida Milne (ref. ID; 2932)
  20. Rotaria neptunoidea Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137)
    Syn; Rotifer neptunius Milne, 1886 non Rotifer neptunius Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3137)
  21. Rotaria neptunoides Milne (ref. ID; 2745)
  22. Rotaria ovata (ref. ID; 1936)
  23. Rotaria quadrioculata (Murray, 1902) (ref. ID; 1345, 2932, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Rotaria quadrioculata Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer quadrioculata Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345); Rotifer quadrioculatus Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 3137)
  24. Rotaria roeperi Korde, 1928
    See; Habrotrocha roeperi Milne, 1889 (ref. ID; 3688)
  25. Rotaria rotatoria (Pallas, 1766) (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 1861, 1923, 2266, 2268, 2276, 2757, 2841, 2994, 3050, 3514, 3688) or 1776 (ref. ID; 3137, 6565), reported year? (ref. ID; 4607, 5022), rotatoria rotatoria Pallas (ref. ID; 2892)
    Syn; Brachionus rotatoria Pallas, 1766 (ref. ID; 1345); Brachionus rotatorius Pallas, 1766 (ref. ID; 2276, 2892, 3271, 3514, 3688); Esechielina bakeri Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688); Esechielina leuwenhoekii Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271) or leuwenhoeki (ref. ID; 3688); Esechielina mulleri Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688); Ezechielina bakeri Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Ezechielina leuwenhoekli Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Ezechielina mulleri Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Furcularia rediviva Lamarck, 1816 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688); Furcularia rotatoria Blumenbach, 1821 (ref. ID; 3271); Rotaria rotatoria Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer brachyurus Ehrenberg, 1830 (ref. ID; 3688) or 1831 (ref. ID; 1345, 3271); Rotifer granularis Zacharias, 1885 (ref. ID; 3137, 3271, 3688); Rotifer redivivus Cuvier, 1798 (ref. ID; 3271); Rotifer vulgaris Monard, 1920 (ref. ID; 1861) or Schrank, 1801 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3137, 3271, 3514, 3688); Rotifer vulgaris granulosus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688), var. granulosus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3137); Urceolaria rediviva Lamarck, 1801 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688); Vorticella rotatoria O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 3271, 3688)
  26. Rotaria rotatoria var. spongioderma Wulfert (ref. ID; 1345, 2333)
  27. Rotaria saprobica Berzins (ref. ID; 1468)
  28. Rotaria socialis (Kellicott, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2266, 2892, 3137, 3688)
    Syn; Callidina socialis Kellicott, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688) or Budde, 1925 not Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria socialis Remane, 1933 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688); Rotifer socialis Beauchamp, 1909 not Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 3137, 3688)
  29. Rotaria sordida (Western, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 2276, 2606, 2646, 2757, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857), sordida sordida (ref. ID; 2275, 2892)
    Syn; Callidina leigebi (Zelinka) (ref. ID; 1345); Callidina longirostris Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3511, 3688); Callidina sordida Western, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2892, 3137, 3511, 3688); Rotaria sordida Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Rotifer longirostris Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3137, 3688)
  30. Rotaria sordida fimbriata (Murray, 1906) (ref. ID; 2892), var. fimbriata (Murray, 1906) (ref. ID; 1345, 2731, 3137)
    Syn; Rotaria sordida var. fimbriata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer longirostris var. fimbriata Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)
  31. Rotaria sordida var. bitorquata (Murray, 1908) (ref. ID; 1345)
    Syn; Rotaria sordida var. bitorquata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345); Rotifer longirostris var. bitorquatus Murray, 1908 (ref. ID; 1345)
  32. Rotaria tardigrada (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1468, 2266, 2269, 2276, 2757, 2892, 2932, 2994, 3137, 3271, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)
    Syn; Rotaria tardigrada Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifera tardigradus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688); Rotifer maximus Bartsch, 1870 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Rotifer tardigradus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2892, 3271) or 1932 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer tardus Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3271, 3688) or 1938 (ref. ID; 3137)
  33. Rotaria tridens Montet, 1915 (ref. ID; 1345, 1473, 1861, 2266, 2269, 2640, 3688)
    Syn; Rotaria tridentata Varga, 1954 (ref. ID; 3688)
  34. Rotaria tridentata Varga, 1953 (ref. ID; 2746 original paper)
    See; Rotaria tridens (ref. ID; 3688)
  35. Rotaria trisecata (Weber, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137)
    Syn; Rotaria trisecata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer trisecatus Weber, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137)
  36. Rotaria vulgaris (ref. ID; 1936)

Rotaria citrina (Ehrenberg, 1838) (ref. ID; 1345, 2646, 3137, 3688) or 1832 (ref. ID; 2892)

Synonym

Rotaria citrina Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3688); Rotifer citrina Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer citrinus Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1832 (ref. ID; 2892)

Descriptions

Head, feet colourless, trunk yellow-green; trunk widest behind mastax; dorsal antenna short; foot not clearly demarcated from trunk; toes short. (ref. ID; 2892)

The body is 600 to 1090 µm long. The head, the neck, and the foot are colourless, but the trunk is yellow-green. The trunk passes gradually into the rump and this into the foot. The cuticle of the trunk is somewhat stickey and is ridged in its full length. The spurs are a little longer than the joint to which they are fixed. The toes are short. The rostrum is not too long, and it is oblique at the tip. The dorsal antenna is short. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 600-1100; spurs 30; trophi 28 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria elongata (Weber, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 1474)

Synonym

Rotaria elongata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer elongatus Weber, 1889 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

The body is whitish or grayish coloured and it attains a length of 1500 µm. The trunk passes gradually into a long and stout foot. The spurs are twice as long as the joint to which they are fixed. The base of the spurs is wide. The spurs are slightly curved back and far apart. The toes are long and thin. The rostrum is short. The dorsal antenna is short. The wheel-organ is hardly wider than the head. D.f.: 2/2. The animal creeps very rapidly, but swims only rarely. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria exoculis de Koning, 1947 (ref. ID; 1345, 2274)

Descriptions

Animal colourless, cuticle smooth, light longitudinal folds, the trunk was widest at the mastax segment and then narrowed gradually and evenly to the spur segment. Dental formula 2/2. Lamella small, well rounded, deep cleft. Discs wider than the head which is short, sulcus wide and shallow, upper lip a high rounded arch with two side lobes. Toes of medium length and stumpy, foot five segments. Dorsal antenna very short and stumpy. (ref. ID; 2274)

Comments

Voigt (1957) states that this may be a variety of R. rotatoria but the somewhat similar variety of that species seen here always had large and bright rostral eyes and fed with the rostrum visible in the sulcus, the spurs also were not like those of R. exoculis which have long straight sides, slender and tapering, with wide divergence and interspace. It is without eyes and the short rostrum was never seen protruding into the sulcus. (ref. ID; 2274)

Measurements

Length of creeping animal 350; length of feeding animal 225; width across trochal discs 36; width across head 30; length of unci 18; length of spurs 18; toes 9 µm. (ref. ID; 2274)

Rotaria macroceros (Gosse, 1851) (ref. ID; 1345, 1936, 2275, 2757, 2892, 3137)

Synonym

Rotatoria macroceros Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer macroceros Gosse, 1851 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 2892, 3137); Rotifer motacilla Bartsch, 1870 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The animal is small, colourless and the cuticle smooth. The cylindrical rostrum has two bright red eyes, the lamella small with two semi-circular lobes. The hip segments are clearly set off from the foot which is short as are also the blunt toes, spurs triangular, wide at the base, blunt at the tips and without interspace. The contractile dorsal antenna of two segments is of great length and when the animal swims extends well in front of the discs. Both Donner (1965) and Bartos after Weber (1951) show the discs divergent with a shallow rounded sulcus, but on the very few occasions when the animal fed stationary it was noticed that the discs were much closer together, only a little wider than the head and with a deeper, narrower, U-shaped sulcus. The dental formula was most unusual both for the species and indeed for the genus Rotatoria. It was 3/3 and in some animals a further weak tooth could be seen. (ref. ID; 2275)

Antenna very long, mobile; foot short; spurs broad. Often drifting in detritus nests with several individuals. (ref. ID; 2892)

The cuticle of the trunk is smooth and transparent. The trunk is very distinctly separated from the rump and the foot. The foot is short. The spurs are also short. They are wide at the base, their tips are blunt. The toes are short. The cylindrical rostrum is also short. The dorsal antenna is unusually long and mobile, it is often more than half the whole length of the trunk. In swimming the dorsal antenna points always forwards. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length of creeping animal 187; length of feeding animal 160; length between the anterior edge of the discs and the mastax 60; length of spurs 6; dorsal antenna 45-51 µm. (ref. ID; 2275)

Length 250-300; dorsal antenna -72 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

The small body has a length of 254 to 300 µm. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria macrura (ref. ID; 1861, 3292)

Descriptions

This species has been reported from Europe, North America, Greenland, and New Zealand, among aquatic plants and in the benthos. Pourriot (1965) classified the species as a warm stenotherm, and reported that it was most common in slightly acid waters in France. (ref. ID; 1861)

Rotaria macrura (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1468, 2276, 2757, 2892, 3137) reported year? (ref. ID; 2932, 3208)

Synonym

Rotaria macrura Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer macrurus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3208) not Rotifer macrourus Herrmann, 1783 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

Foot sharply defined from trunk; on both eyespots of rostrum, 4 light-sensitive organs often distinguishable as result of accessory pigments; foot long; spurs usual. (ref. ID; 2892)

The whitish coloured and barely transparent body has a length of 680 to 800 µm. The trunk is wide and passes abruptly into the rump, which passes gradually into the foot. The foot is narrow and as long as half the body. The spurs are shortly pointed and they are a little longer than the joint to which they are attached. The wheel-organ is wider than the head and the wheel-discs are very far apart. The rostrum projects beyond the stretched wheel-organ. The dorsal antenna is long. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 600-800; spurs 22 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria magna-calcarata Parsons, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Synonym

Callidina magna-calcarata Parsons, 1892 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Callidina socialis Janson, 1893 not Kellicot, 1888 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria magna-calcarata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer magna-calcaratus Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The body is 800 µm long. The cuticle is always smooth and transparent, only the stomach is light or dark yellow-brown. The rostrum is long, strong and very wide. The foot and the rump are a clearly set off from the central trunk, and form nearly half the total length of the body, or a little more than half the length of the body. The foot is five-jointed. The spurs are very long. The spurs close to each other at the base and they are of the same width throughout. The spurs close to the tip become sharply and abruptly pointed. The dorsal antenna is cylindrical or it is wider at the base than at the tip. There are never any eye-spots. The toes are short, stout and point backwards. The dorsal toe is much weaker than the ventral toes. The wheel-organ is much wider than the head and the neck, but it is narrower than the trunk. The wheel-pedicels are separated by a wide and deep sulcus. The upper lip runs out into two lobes, which are separated by a wide but not too deep sulcus. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria neptunia (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1804, 1923, 1936, 2202, 2266, 2274, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 3040, 3062, 3141, 3271) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292)

Synonym

Actinurus neptunius Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 2892, 3137, 3271, 3514); Rotaria neptunia Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer actinurus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3271); Rotifer macrourus Schrank, 1803 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer neptunius (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 3141) or Jennings, 1900 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3271) non Rotifer neptunius Milne, 1886 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria neptunia Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345); Vorticella macroura Herrmann, 1783 (ref. ID; 3137)

Diagnosis

Milne, although not fully convinced, had described Rotifer neptunius as having unequal jointed toes, long spurs and broad foot joints. Harring considered this form as new and named it as R. neptunoida. Thus separating it from R. neptunia. It is possible that and intensive study of the rotifers will bring to light a more widespread distribution of R. neptunia. (ref. ID; 1936)

Descriptions

Body long, slender and fusiform. Rostrum bearing two eyes and also provided with an arched rostral papilla. Palp-like antenna on the first neck segment. Trunk long, narrowing gradually. Foot very long, slender, telescopically projecting. A pair of equal, jointed and pointed spurs present. Last foot-joint with three slender and equal toes (ref. ID; 1804)

The most elongate rotifer known. (ref. ID; 1923)

R. neptunia is slender and long with a total length of 1540 µm. The cuticle has no projections. Corona has two trochal discs which bear bristles. The rostrum bears the eyes and is provided with arched rostral lamella. The palp-like dorsal antenna is borne on the first neck segment just behind the rostrum. Trunk is broad and narrows gradually. The mastax is ramate, paired germovitellaria are present on either side of the intestine. The foot is slender, very long, five jointed and is telescopically projected. It is more or less half the total length of the body. The third foot joint has a pair of equal, jointed and pointed spurs. The last foot joint has three slender long, equal and pointed toes. (ref. ID; 1936)

Trunk slender and shorter than the foot, colourless, rostral eyes, rostrum and discs small, dorsal antenna short and stumpy, light longitudinal folds. Dental formula 2/2. Foot very slender, spurs long, at about half their length they taper to a fine point. Three toes also very slender and pointed, sides almost parallel, divergent. (ref. ID; 2274)

Trunk long, rod-shaped; integument rigid; foot very long and thin; corona small and fine. (ref. ID; 2892)

The very narrow and long body is 725 to 1450 µm long, and it is whitish, almost opaque. The cuticle is smooth but stiff and inflexible. The foot is 3/5 of the whole length of the body. The spurs are very narrow, long and jointed. The toes are very thin, long and diverge strongly. The wheel-organ is very narrow and small. The rostrum is short. D.f.: 2/2. The teeth are strong and convergent. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Total length 1380; trunk 520; foot 600; toes 80 µm. (ref. ID; 1804)

Length of the trunk 574; length of the foot without toes 840; length of toes 126; length of the spurs 42; maximum width of the trunk 56 µm. (ref. ID; 1936)

Total length 1300; length of trunk 625; length of foot 687; greatest width of trunk 87; width of foot at first segment 19; length of toes 60; length of spurs 15 µm. (ref. ID; 2274)

Length 725-1900 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria neptunoidea Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3137)

Synonym

Rotifer neptunius Milne, 1886 non Rotifer neptunius Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

The body attains nearly 720 µm in the length. The head, the neck, and foot are smooth and colourless. The trunk is covered with a thin mucous layer, which is light brown, on the surface is much detritus. The rostrum is very long (it is nearly 1/10 of the total length of the body), cylindrical, and with two large and dark red eye-spots. The rostral lamellae are large, circular, and touch in the middle of the rostrum. Below these rostral lamellae are very long and stiff sensitive cilia and whirl-cilia. The neck is short and broad. The dorsal antenna is very short, but it is very broad. The wheel-organ is a little wider than the head, in the building of it, it appears very similar to the wheel-organ of Rotaria tadigrada Ehrenberg, but I have not been able to detect the sensitive papillae with sensitive setae. The foot is very short and relatively narrow, it has five joints. The spurs, which sit on the fourth foot-joint are fourth-times longer than the joint to which they are fixed. The spurs are very long, they are of the same width throughout and two-jointed. The first joint is very long, the second joint of the spurs is short, and it is sharply pointed. The spurs are widely divergent. The fifth foot-joint is very long, and it is usually extended. The ventral toes are very long and narrow, they are longer than the spurs, and two-jointed. The dorsal toe is much shorter, it is only 1/3 to 1/2 of length of the ventral toe. It protrudes dorsally and is blunt pointed. In the creeping action of the animal the fifth foot-joint lies under the other foot-joints, and the ventral toes are widely stretched out, these toes appear to be second pair of the spurs, but they are much longer and thinner. The animal is lively when it creeps, but it rests very often, and it feeds from time to time. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria quadrioculata (Murray, 1902) (ref. ID; 1345, 2932, 3137)

Synonym

Rotaria quadrioculata Wulfert, 1950 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer quadrioculata Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 1345); Rotifer quadrioculatus Murray, 1902 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

The smooth body attains 380 µm in the creeping action but only 240 µm in the feeding action. The colour of the body is grayish-white. The rostrum is short, it carries two semicircular rostral-plates. In the rostrum sit two rostral eye-spots. (The four eye-spots observed by Murray are probably only exceptionally developed, as it is observed sometimes also in other Rotaria spec.) The foot is composed of six segments, which are relatively short, which is exceptional for this genus. (Wulfert draws 5 joints, the spurs sit on the 5th. Always is developed still on following segment bearing the toes, there are also 6 segments of the foot). The spurs are stout, small, curved inwards. The wheel-organ is wider than the head but it is more slender than the trunk. The wheel-pedicels are jointed together by a membrane, which is flatly notched in the middle. The upper lip is convex. The wheel-discs are inclined laterally. D.f.: 2/2 or 2/1+2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria rotatoria (Pallas, 1766) (ref. ID; 1345, 1847, 1861, 1923, 2266, 2268, 2276, 2757, 2841, 2994, 3050, 3514) or 1776 (ref. ID; 3137, 6565), reported year? (ref. ID; 4607, 5022), rotatoria rotatoria Pallas (ref. ID; 2892)

Synonym

Brachionus rotatoria Pallas, 1766 (ref. ID; 1345); Brachionus rotatorius Pallas, 1766 (ref. ID; 2276, 2892, 3271, 3514); Esechielina bakeri Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271); Esechielina leuwenhoekii Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271); Esechielina mulleri Bory de St. Vincent, 1826 (ref. ID; 3271); Ezechielina bakeri Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Ezechielina leuwenhoekli Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Ezechielina mulleri Bory de St. Vincent, 1828 (ref. ID; 3271); Furcularia rediviva Lamarck, 1816 (ref. ID; 3271); Furcularia rotatoria Blumenbach, 1821 (ref. ID; 3271); Rotaria rotatoria Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer brachyurus Ehrenberg, 1831 (ref. ID; 1345, 3271); Rotifer granularis Zacharias, 1885 (ref. ID; 3137, 3271); Rotifer redivivus Cuvier, 1798 (ref. ID; 3271); Rotifer vulgaris Monard, 1920 (ref. ID; 1861) or Schrank, 1801 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3137, 3271, 3514); Rotifer vulgaris granulosus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3271), var. granulosus Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3137); Urceolaria rediviva Lamarck, 1801 (ref. ID; 3271); Vorticella rotatoria O.F. Muller, 1773 (ref. ID; 3271)

Descriptions

This species has been found worldwide in a wide variety of habitats: ponds, lakes, streams, and on the cuticles of aquatic insects. Both eyeless specimens and specimens with eye are found in Mirror Lake. (ref. ID; 1861)

R. rotatoria commonly becomes abundant in laboratory cultures. (ref. ID; 1923)

Two conspicuous pink/carmine red eyespot on short rostrum, at times with red pigment granules underneath; body slender with long foot; toe segments long; spurs tapering to sharp point, occasionally bent; corona wider than head; integument whitish to opaque, also yellowish brown. (ref. ID; 2892)

The corona is differentiated into two trochal discs and a cingulum. This corona is typical of the order Bdelloidea. The mastax is ramate. Except the two semicircular unci all the other parts are vestigeal. Manubrium is missing. Each uncus is beset with numerous teeth of which the middle three are thick. Eye spots are pigmented. (ref. ID; 3050)

This species is very variable in the length of the body. It is from 300 to 1090 µm long. The body is usually whitish and always opaque. The body is narrow. The cuticle is smooth, only in some individuals it is covered with fine stipples of the cuticular thickenings in the skin. The trunk passes gradually into the rump and this into the foot. The spurs are only barely one and a half times as wide as the joint to which they are fixed. The rostrum is wide and short. The dorsal antenna is thin and long. The eye-spots very often split into pairs of pigment-spots. Sometimes there are three pigment-spots in rostrum. The wheel-organ is wider than the head. On the wheel-discs are sensitive setae in short brushes. D.f.: 2/2. This species is very variable in length of its body, in the form and length of its dorsal antenna, in the foot and in the whole size of its body. Miss Montet knows three varieties of this species from Switzerland. I know of two varieties in Czechoslovakia. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 200-1100 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Total length from the tip of the corona to the tip of the foot 338; maximum breadth 37; length of foot 22; length of the spurs 15 µm. (ref. ID; 3050)

Rotaria socialis (Kellicott, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345, 1474, 2266, 2892, 3137)

Synonym

Callidina socialis Kellicott, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137) or Budde, 1925 not Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotaria socialis Remane, 1933 (ref. ID; 1345); Rotifer socialis Beauchamp, 1909 not Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

Epizoic on crustaceans (Asellus, Gammarus). (ref. ID; 2892)

The transparent body has a length of 650 µm. The digestive tube is slightly yellow red to yellow brown. The cuticle is smooth. The foot is notably long. The base of the very long spurs is wide, the spurs narrow gradually towards the tip, but close to the tip they narrow abruptly and run out into a point. The spurs are far apart at the base. The foot is six-jointed. The toes are strong, the dorsal toe is usually extended vertically upwards, and it is always somewhat curved forwards. The dorsal antenna is relatively short, it is narrowest at the base, towards the tip it becomes wider and club-shaped. The wheel-organ is very wide, it is narrower than the trunk. The wheel-pedicels are separated by a deep and wide sulcus. The inner side of the wheel-pedicels is provided with a narrow membranous border, which starts from the bottom of the sulcus (from the bridge). The anterior ends of this projection are much wider, and reach far into the apical fields of the wheel-discs, were they end. This border serves to retract the wheel-disc. The upper lip is strongly arched, but it is smooth and without any protuberances. The large side-knob on either side of the base of the dorsal antenna is also visible from the ventral side of the animal in the feeding action. In front of the jaws are two very bright bodies. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 350-650; spurs 24-60; trophi 26-40 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria sordida (Western, 1893) (ref. ID; 1345, 2266, 2276, 2606, 2646, 2757, 3137, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609, 7857), sordida sordida (ref. ID; 2275, 2892)

Synonym

Callidina leigebi (Zelinka) (ref. ID; 1345); Callidina longirostris Janson, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137, 3511); Callidina sordida Western, 1893 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2892, 3137, 3511); Rotaria sordida Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer longirostris Bryce, 1910 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3137)

Descriptions

Rostrum unusually long, widest at end; protuberances on either side of antenna; eyeless; trunk sticky, brownish, covered with excreta and foreign material; head and foot colourless; spurs long, always granulated. (ref. ID; 2892)

The wide and flat body is 420 to 635 µm long, it is opaque with strong transversal and longish ridges and notches on the surface of the trunk. The whole surface of the trunk is covered with a thick mucous layer. Various particles of debris adhere to the surface of this layer. The head and neck are smooth, transparent, and usually colourless. The foot is sometimes finely and the spurs always coarsely granulated. The wheel-organ is small, not much wider than the head, and it is very often extended. The rostrum is very long, narrow, and it is somewhat extended at the end. The dorsal antenna is long and narrow, on either side of it sits a large side-knob, which is very prominent. On the ventral side of the head low warts form transversal girdle behind the mouth-opening. The foot is short, wide, and stout. The spurs are twice as long as the foot-joint to which the spurs are fixed. The spurs are two-jointed. The toes are short and thick. The animal creeps slowly, and is undecided in its movements. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 340-635; spurs 25-29; trophi 26 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria sordida fimbriata (Murray, 1906) (ref. ID; 2892), var. fimbriata (Murray, 1906) (ref. ID; 1345, 2731, 3137)

Synonym

Rotaria sordida var. fimbriata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer longirostris var. fimbriata Murray, 1906 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137)

Descriptions

The body is anteriorly broadly oblique. The longish cuticular ribs running from the anterior border of the trunk to the preanal segment are covered with dense conical knobs. These knobs are large in the posterior part of the trunk and on the edges of the anterior part of the trunk. All there knobs are formed by a very stiff, yellow to brownish colored secretion, which differs very much from the secretion, covering the trunk of the typical individuals. From the typical individuals this variety differs also in the double lateral knobs of the first neck-segment. These knobs are also very large. The wheel-organ is the same as that in the typical individuals. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

450 µm long. (ref. ID; 2892)

Our individuals are 450 µm long. (ref. ID; 3137)

Rotaria tardigrada (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1468, 2266, 2269, 2276, 2757, 2892, 2932, 2994, 3137, 3271) reported year? (ref. ID; 2609) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 2972)

Synonym

Rotaria tardigrada Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer maximus Bartsch, 1870 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer tardigradus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2892, 3271) or 1932 (ref. ID; 3137); Rotifer tardus Ehrenberg, 1838 (ref. ID; 1345, 2276, 2757, 3271) or 1938 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

Ventral toes exceptionally long, 2-segmented, bent; dorsal toe shorter; long spurs, bent like toes when animal crawling; corona wider than short head; sometimes pigment granules behind eyespots; head, neck and foot colourless; trunk mostly brown, covered with detritus. (ref. ID; 2892)

The dark brown body has a length of 363 to 700 µm. The head, the neck, and the foot are colourless and smooth. The cuticle of the trunk has strong longish ridges formed by the circular folds, the cuticle is transversally waved, stiff, and it is covered with much foreign material. The rostrum is cylindrical, wide and long. The dorsal antenna is short. The wheel-organ is barely a little wider than the head. On the surface of the wheel-discs are sensitive papillae with sensitive setae. The eye-spots split into some pairs of pigment-spots. The foot is short and stout. The spurs are nearly twice as long as the length of the joint to which they are fixed. The spurs are two-jointed. The toes are much longer than in the other species of this genus. The lateral toes are two-jointed and longer than the dorsal middle odd toe, which is also two-jointed. The animal is very slow in its movements. D.f.: 2/2 (ref. ID; 3137)

Measurements

Length 363-700; spurs -60; corona width -122; trophi 56 µm. (ref. ID; 2892)

Rotaria tridens Montet, 1915 (ref. ID; 1345, 1861, 2266, 2269, 2640)

Descriptions

This species is abundant even in anaerobic samples containing H2S. Furthermore, it is frequently found several centimeters below the mud-water interface. (ref. ID; 1861)

Rotaria trisecata (Weber, 1888) (ref. ID; 1345) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137)

Synonym

Rotaria trisecata Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345, 3137); Rotifer trisecatus Weber, 1888 (ref. ID; 1345) or 1889 (ref. ID; 3137)

Descriptions

The very long body is 1000 to 1300 µm in length, it is cylindrical and grayish coloured. The cuticle is profusely and irregularly wrinkled, especially the longish cuticular folds are very distinct. The wheel-organ is relatively narrow. The rostrum is narrow and long cylindrical. The dorsal antenna is short. The foot is relatively long, it passes gradually into the rump, which is sharply delimited from the central trunk. The spurs are narrow at the base, almost parallel, at the tips they are transversally narrowed in two joints. The spurs are three-times as long as the joint to which they are fixed. The toes are very long and three-jointed. The animal swims only rarely, it is slow and undecided in its movement. D.f.: 2/2. (ref. ID; 3137)