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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Proalides

Proalides de Beauchamp, 1907

ref. ID; 1663

Tail region or basal foot segment with a knob-like papilla bearing a tuft of setae or a spine. Mastax modified malleate. Unci adapted for crushing and grinding. Corona oblique, with two lateral tufts of cilia. Littoral species. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 2650

Distinct body segments; no papillar projections; no toes; no caudal elevation; no sensitive side-papilla; lack of pedious glands; rotatory apparatus covered by tufts of cilia; there are no sensitive papilla on the head. (ref. ID; 2650)

ref. ID; 3535

De Beauchamp (1907) firstly discovered a rotifer tentaculatus from Villar, France, and described it as such, creating also a new genus Proalides under the family Notommatidae. He mentions the relation of his new genus to Cyrtonia on the basis of mastax and wheel organ, to Copeus caudatus on dorsal tentacle, to Notommata, Proales, Taphrocampa on segment and even to Hertwigia on foot. He states further that the genera Proalides and Furcularia may have originated from Proales, and both Proales and Diaschiza from the genus Notommata (1909). Beauchamp's species was later rediscovered by Wulfert (1941) from a pond in a Park in Merseberg, and by Voigt (1957) from Schleswig. Later authors have not touched on its systematic position. On the other hand, Rodewald (1940, p.275-276) discovered another species subtilis from Suit-Ghiol-See (Rumania) in August 1936. He described some specific characters which may distinguish it from the type species tentaculatus other than its ecology. But he, too said nothing on the systematic position of the genus. In a series of systematic publications from "Wisconsin", Harring-Myers (1926, p.317-319) transferred this problematic genus Proalides from Notommatidae to Epiphanidae. In "Bronn", Remane (1933, p.511) further placed it in subfamily Brachioninae under the Family Brachionidae. According to Remane (1933, p.516), such taxa as the buccal field, wheel organ, mastax and mouth are good criteria for family diagnosis. Very recently, Donner and Voigt have adopted this system in their books as a key to genera, families and orders of the Rotatoria. This kind of treatment of Proalides requires further examination, for nothing but the trophi type is used as the taxonomic character. (ref. ID; 3535)
  1. Proalides subtilis Rodewald, 1940 (ref. ID; 1345, 2621 original paper, 3688)
    See; Liliferotrocha subtilis (ref. ID; 2650)
  2. Proalides tentaculatus de Beauchamp, 1907 (ref. ID; 1345, 2887, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 6844), tentaculatus tentaculatus de Beauchamp, 1907 (ref. ID; 1807, 1850)
  3. Proalides verrucosa (Barrois & Daday, 1894) (ref. ID; 1345)
    Syn; Adactyla verrucosa Barrois & Daday, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345); Paradoxocara verrucosa Skorikov, 1914 (ref. ID; 1345); Proalides verrucosa de Beauchamp, 1907 (ref. ID; 1345)
  4. Proalides wulferti Sudzuki, 1959 (ref. ID; 2814)

Proalides tentaculatus de Beauchamp, 1907 (ref. ID; 1345, 2887, 3688) reported author and year? (ref. ID; 6844), tentaculatus tentaculatus de Beauchamp, 1907 (ref. ID; 1807, 1850)

Descriptions

This species is known as a characteristic warm water taxon. (ref. ID; 1850)

SEM micrograph illustrating trophi. (ref. ID; 6844)

Measurements

Body length 110-120; corona 28-30; dorsal antenna 7-8; amictic eggs 27x37 µm. (ref. ID; 1807)