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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Platyias

Platyias Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345) (= Platyas) (ref. ID; 3688)

Class Rotatoria: Order Ploimida: Family Brachionidae (ref. ID; 7097)

Synonym Noteus Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 3688)

Most confused Brachionus patulus-group

ref. ID; 1663

Dorsal and ventral plates of lorica completely fused laterally. Anterior dorsal margin of lorica usually with four or six spine. Body moderately flattened dorso-ventrally. Foot segmented and retractile. Two toes. Mastax malleate. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 1923

Foot jointed, not retractible within body. (ref. ID; 1923)

ref. ID; 2715

Wulfert (1965) revised this genus and has removed all the species except P. quadricornis from stand has included in the genus Brachionus. Identification of species based on Ahlstrom (1940) and Wulfert (1965). This genus is represented by only one species. (ref. ID; 2715)
  1. Platyias bicornis Zivkovic, 1974 (ref. ID; 3135 original paper)
  2. Platyias felicitas Wulfert, 1956 (ref. ID; 2136, 2932 original paper)
  3. Platyias latiscapularis (Koste) (ref. ID; 953)
  4. Platyias leloupi (Gillard, 1957) (ref. ID; 953, 1803, 1806, 2136 original paper, 3514), leloupi leloupi (ref. ID; 2840)
    Syn; Platyias longispinosus Arora, 1966 (ref. ID; 1803, 3514); Platyias quadricornis leloupi Gillard, 1957 (ref. ID; 2136, 3514)
  5. Platyias leloupi f. greeni (ref. ID; 2136 original paper)
  6. Platyias leloupi latiscapularis Koste, 1974 (ref. ID; 2840 original paper)
  7. Platyias leloupi var. aspina De Ridder, 1991 (ref. ID; 2935 original paper)
  8. Platyias longispinosus Arora, 1966
    See; Platyias leloupi (ref. ID; 1803, 3514)
  9. Platyias militaris (Ehrenberg) Carlin, 1944
    See; Platyias patulus (ref. ID; 1345, 2836)
  10. Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) Gillard, 1948
    See; Platyias patulus (ref. ID; 1345)
  11. Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller) Hauer, 1937/38
    See; Platyias patulus (ref. ID; 1345)
  12. Platyias patulus patulus (Ehrenberg) (ref. ID; 2898)
  13. Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2136, 2265, 2385, 3083, 3335, 3514) or 1788 (ref. ID; 1929) reported year? (ref. ID; 2261, 2640, 2932, 3027, 3039, 3255, 5022, 5030), patulus patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) (ref. ID; 2836, 3512) reported year? (ref. ID; 2328, 3274)

    Quote from ref. ID; 2261

    Syn; Brachionus conium Atwood, 1881 (ref. ID; 1345) or Attwood, 1881 (ref. ID; 2836); Brachionus militaris Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2836, 3514); Brachionus patulus O.F. Muller, 1786 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2836, 3514); Noteus militaris Daday, 1901 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836) or (Ehrenberg, 1834) (ref. ID; 3514); Noteus militaris var. leopoldi Van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 2836); Noteus patulus Ehrenberg, 1833 (ref. ID; 1345); Platyias militaris (Ehrenberg) Carlin, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller) Hauer, 1937/38 (ref. ID; 1345); Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) Gillard, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345)
  14. Platyias patulus f. militaris (Herrick, 1885) (ref. ID; 2136)
  15. Platyias patulus macracanthus (ref. ID; 2328), var. macracanthus (Daday, 1905) (ref. ID; 2265)
    See; Platyias patulus
  16. Platyias patulus var. leopoldi (Van Oye, 1926) (ref. ID; 3514)
    Syn; Brachionus patulus var. leopoldi (Van Oye, 1926) (ref. ID; 3514); Noteus militaris var. leopoldi Van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 3514)
  17. Platyias polyacanthoides (Berzins, 1943) (ref. ID; 1345, 2136)
  18. Platyias polyacanthus (Ehrenberg, 1834) (ref. ID; 1345, 2136, 2642) reported year? (ref. ID; 2962, 5022)
    Syn; Brachionus polyacanthus Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 1345); Noteus polyacanthus (Ehrenberg) Daday, 1901 (ref. ID; 1345); Noteus polyacanthus var. micracanthus Arevalo, 1918 (ref. ID; 1345)
  19. Platyias quadricornis (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 1805, 1929, 2136, 2265, 2268, 2385, 2545, 2619, 2704, 2715, 2757, 2816, 2836, 2867, 3114, 3180, 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 5022) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292), quadricornis quadricornis (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 3512) reported year? (ref. ID; 2898, 3039)

    Quote from ref. ID; 3114

    Syn; Brachionus quadricornis Dujardin, 1841 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348); Noteus leydigii Haeckel, 1900 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Noteus quadricornis Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2385, 2757, 2836, 3514); Noteus quadricornis var. brevispinus Daday, 1905 (ref. ID; 2836); Noteus quadricornis var. congolense Van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Noteus stuhlmanni Collin, 1897 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514); Platyias quadricornis (Ehrenberg) Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345)
  20. Platyias quadricornis andhraensis Dhanapathi, 1974 (ref. ID; 1803, 1935)
  21. Platyias quadricornis leloupi Gillard, 1957 (ref. ID; 3512 original paper)
    See; Platyias leloupi (ref. ID; 2136, 3514)
  22. Platyias quadricornis f. congolense Van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 2136)
  23. Platyias quadricornis f. ellipticus (ref. ID; 2136 original paper)
  24. Platyias quadricornis f. galapagoensis De Smet, 1989 (ref. ID; 7846)
  25. Platyias quadricornis f. intermedius (ref. ID; 2136)
  26. Platyias quadricornis var. hexagona Wulfert, 1956 (ref. ID; 2136, 2932 original paper)
  27. Platyias quadricornis var. pentagona Wulfert, 1956 (ref. ID; 2932 original paper)
  1. Platyas patulus O.F. Muller, 1786 (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Anuraea gloasonii Up de Graft, 1883 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus conium Atwood, 1881 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus gloasoni Up de Graft, 1882 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus militaris Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus patulus O.F. Muller, 1786 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus militaris Daday, 1901 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus patulus Ehrenberg, 1833 (ref. ID; 3688); Platyas patulus Hauer, 1937-38 (ref. ID; 3688)
  2. Platyas patulus var. balatoicus Varga, 1944-1945 (ref. ID; 3688)
  3. Platyas polyacanthus Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Brachionus polyacanthus Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus polyacanthus micracanthus Wiszniewski, 1932 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus polyacanthus Daday, 1901 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus polyacanthus var. micracanthus Arevalo, 1918 (ref. ID; 3688)
  4. Platyas quadricornis Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688)
    Syn; Brachionus intermedius Herrick, 1885 (ref. ID; 3688); Brachionus quadricornis Dujardin, 1841 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus leydigii Haeckel, 1900 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus quadricornis Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus quadricornis var. congolense von Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 3688); Noteus stuhlmanni Collin, 1897 (ref. ID; 3688); Platyas quadricornis Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 3688)

Platyias leloupi (Gillard, 1957) (ref. ID; 953, 1803, 1806, 2136 original paper, 3514), leloupi leloupi (ref. ID; 2840)

Synonym

Platyias longispinosus Arora, 1966 (ref. ID; 1803, 3514); Platyias quadricornis leloupi Gillard, 1957 (ref. ID; 2136, 3514)

Descriptions

Lorica oval, dorsoventrally flattened and anterior end broader than posterior. Anterior spines 2, long, curved outwards, acutely pointed with closely placed bases. Posterior spines long, pointed with widely separated bases. Dorsal plate of lorica without polygonal markings. In some specimens, entire lorica stippled. (ref. ID; 1806)

Platyias leloupi var. aspina De Ridder, 1991 (ref. ID; 2935 original paper)

Descriptions

A small morph (total length 230 to 250 µm), without ornamentation on the dorsal plate, and without posterolateral spines. Length of anterior median spines 80 µm. (ref. ID; 2935)

Type locality

Encountered in plankton of Oued Tabaraket, taken on 09.06.1978. The water was slightly oligohaline. (ref. ID; 2935)

Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2136, 2265, 2385, 3083, 3335, 3514) or 1788 (ref. ID; 1929) reported year? (ref. ID; 2261, 2640, 2932, 3027, 3039, 3255, 5022, 5030), patulus patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) (ref. ID; 2836, 3512) reported year? (ref. ID; 2328, 3274)

Synonym

Brachionus conium Atwood, 1881 (ref. ID; 1345) or Attwood, 1881 (ref. ID; 2836); Brachionus militaris Ehrenberg, 1834 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2836, 3514); Brachionus patulus O.F. Muller, 1786 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 2836, 3514); Noteus militaris Daday, 1901 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836) or (Ehrenberg, 1834) (ref. ID; 3514); Noteus militaris var. leopoldi Van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 2836); Noteus patulus Ehrenberg, 1833 (ref. ID; 1345); Platyias militaris (Ehrenberg) Carlin, 1944 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller) Hauer, 1937/38 (ref. ID; 1345); Platyias patulus (O.F. Muller, 1786) Gillard, 1948 (ref. ID; 1345)

Comments

Until the contrary is proved, we consider Platyias patulus ((var.)) macracanthus as a distinct species, because there are no intermediate forms known between it and Platyias patulus; moreover, following Ahlstrom (1940), both may be met with in the same sample. Our opinion is that the discussed forms are sibling-species, to be united in a ultra-species: Platyias U. patulus. Platyias [patulus] macracanthus differs from Platyias [patulus] patulus in having the posterior spines much longer, and the lateral palpi of the posterior spines placed directly on the latter; further, the left median posterior spine is the longest in Platyias [patulus] macracanthus, whereas it is the shortest in Platyias [patulus] patulus. (ref. ID; 2328)

Measurements

Length 210-224; maximum width 140-140 µm. (ref. ID; 1929)

Length of body over spines 135; length of spines (from left to right in dorsal view) occipital 20-18-40; pectoral spines 20-14; posterior spines 10-18-14-10 µm. (ref. ID; 2385)

Dorsal lorica length (without spines) 95-130; width at the basis occipital lateral spines 70-140; widest part 52-89; anterior median sinus 20-50 wide, 30-50 deep (dorsal), 38 long, 29 deep (ventral); anterior lateral spines 20-40 (dorsal), 50 (ventral); anterior intermedians 28-38 (dorsal), 38 (ventral); thelytokous egg 72x80 µm. (ref. ID; 3083)

Platyias quadricornis (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 1345, 1348, 1805, 1929, 2136, 2265, 2268, 2385, 2545, 2619, 2704, 2715, 2757, 2816, 2836, 2867, 3180, 3114, 3514) reported year? (ref. ID; 5022) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 3292), quadricornis quadricornis (Ehrenberg, 1832) (ref. ID; 3512) reported year? (ref. ID; 2898, 3039)

Synonym

Brachionus quadricornis Dujardin, 1841 (ref. ID; 1345, 1348); Noteus leydigii Haeckel, 1900 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Noteus quadricornis Ehrenberg, 1832 (ref. ID; 1345, 2385, 2757, 2836, 3514); Noteus quadricornis var. brevispinus Daday, 1905 (ref. ID; 2836); Noteus quadricornis var. congolense van Oye, 1926 (ref. ID; 1345, 2836); Noteus stuhlmanni Collin, 1897 (ref. ID; 1345, 3514); Platyias quadricornis (Ehrenberg) Harring, 1913 (ref. ID; 1345)

Descriptions

Two occipital spines and the mental margin is without spines. Lorica with regular pattern of facettes. (ref. ID; 1929)

The tips of anterior median spines are invariably curved ventrally. (ref. ID; 2715)

Lorica tuberculate, with three central polygons. Anterior margin of lorica with raised edge, having two median spines, bluntly rounded to truncate at tips. Two posterior spines, short and widely separated with each other. (ref. ID; 2867)

Anterior dorsal margin with two stout median spines that taper but little and are bluntly rounded to nearly truncate at their tips. Mental margin depressed toward the center and serrate. Lorica terminating posteriorly in two rather short and stout, parallel spines, a third to a half the width of the lorica apart. Lorica tuberculate. (ref. ID; 3180)

Measurements

Total length 305; maximum width 178 µm. (ref. ID; 1805)

Total length 266-280; length of lorica 168-182; maximum width 196-220; anterior spines 42-56; posterior spines 28-42 µm. (ref. ID; 1929)

Length of body over spines 360; width of body 220; length of anterior spines 70; length of posterior spines 60 µm. (ref. ID; 2385)

Total length 290; maximum width 160; anterior spines 45; posterior spines 36 µm. (ref. ID; 2704)

Total length 319; width 156; anterior spine 42; posterior spine 24 µm. (ref. ID; 2715)

Total length 240; length of lorica 160; maximum width 160; length of anterior spine 50; length of posterior spine 30 µm. (ref. ID; 2867)

Platyias quadricornis andhraensis Dhanapathi, 1974 (ref. ID; 1803, 1935)

Diagnosis

It differ from P. quadricornis in the presence of cuticular plates at the base of first foot-joint. (ref. ID; 1803)

Descriptions

Lorica pear-shaped, firm and compressed antero-dorsal margin provided with two stout spines bending ventrally and tapering into acute points; posterior spines longer than the anterior, with swollen bases and tapering into claw-like acute points. Lorica tuberculated with regular facets. Foot jointed and nonretractile; proximal region of the first joint girdled by characteristic cuticular plates; toes long, spindle-shaped and ending in points. (ref. ID; 1803)

This species with descriptions of P. quadricornis in having tuberculated lorica with regular facets, jointed and nonretractile foot and antero-ventral margin without spines, but differs in having a large pear-shaped body, anterior spines ending in acute points, longer posterior spines with swollen bases and claw-like points, and in having base of first foot joint girdles by characteristic cuticular plates. Ahlstrom states that the lengths of toes and of anterior and posterior spines of P. quadricornis are variable. He recorded a small variant along with a large form having a width of 225 µm and with posterior spines measuring 80 µm, without any evidence of intergradation, based on collections from Florida. Interestingly, the present large specimen occurred without any evidence of intergradation, exhibiting new characters apart from the difference in maximum length. The claw-like acute points of the posterior spines, and cuticular plates at the base of the first foot-joint are distinctive characters. Hence the large variant is considered a new subspecies: Platyias quadricornis andhraensis. (ref. ID; 1935)

Measurements

Total length 280-308; maximum width 238-252; length of anterior spines 70; length of posterior spines 98; length of toes 56; width at anterior end of lorica 140; distance between posterior spines 98 µm. (ref. ID; 1935)