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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Tripleuchlanis

Tripleuchlanis Myers, 1930

ref. ID; 1663

Dorsal plate the same size of larger than the ventral plate. Dorsal plate arched and convex and ventral plate flat. Lateral sulci very wide, with stiff flange, projecting laterally. Foot with two or three obscure segment. In brackish water. (ref. ID; 1663)

ref. ID; 3246

Euchlanid rotifers, the only known species being marine. Lorica ovoid in shape, truncate in front, rounded posteriorly. The dorsal and ventral plates are of nearly the same size; they are connected by a pair of lateral, longitudinal sulci, on pair on each side of the body; between each pair, a longitudinal flange of stiffened cuticle extends for the entire length, giving the cross-section a bellows-like appearance. The dorsal plate has a shallow posterior emargination. The foot is stout and has tree joints; it is guarded by a cuticular shield-like process extending downward from the median longitudinal flanges. The foot glands and their accessories are very long. The toes are short, stout and parallel-sided, ending in rather abrupt points. The corona is of family type. The mastax is of the modified malleate type. There are six club-shaped teeth in each uncus; the rami are triangular and carry on the inside of each tip a minute denticular comb. The eye-spot is double and situated near the posterior end of the ganglion. (ref. ID; 3246)
  1. Tripleuchlanis plicata Levander, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 1923, 1937, 1940, 2339, 2715, 2757, 3083, 3180, 3246, 3688, 4594)
    Syn; Euchlanis plicata Levander, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3246, 3688); Tripleuchlanis plicata Myers, 1930 (ref. ID; 1345)
  2. Tripleuchlanis plicata var. razelmi Rodewald, 1940 (ref. ID; 2622 original paper, 3688) reported year? (ref. ID; 1940)
  3. Tripleuchlanis plicata f. (var.) rezelmi Rodewald (ref. ID; 1838)

Tripleuchlanis plicata Levander, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 1923, 1937, 1940, 2339, 2715, 2757, 3083, 3180, 3246, 3688, 4594)

Synonym

Euchlanis plicata Levander, 1894 (ref. ID; 1345, 2757, 3246, 3688); Tripleuchlanis plicata Myers, 1930 (ref. ID; 1345)

Descriptions

Body is ovoid. Dorsal plate of the lorica with emargination posteriorly and the ventral of same size as dorsal. Lateral longitudinal sulci are separated by cuticular flange giving bellows like folds laterally. Mastax malleate type, with six opposing teeth in each uncus. Foot glands long including a pair of accessories. Foot three jointed, projects beyond the lorica first foot joint covered by small cuticular plate. Toes short and parallel sided. (ref. ID; 1937)

The body ovoid in shape. Foot is wide and robust, composed of three joints. Toes are short and less than one-third the length of the body and are parallel sided ending in sharp points. (ref. ID; 2715)

Body ovoid. Dorsal plate with a shallow emargination in the position of the posterior notch. A pair of lateral, longitudinal sulci present on each side of the body, concerning the dorsal and ventral plate, each lateral pair being separated by a flange of stiffened cuticle. Foot stout with three robust joints, toes shoe, parallel-sided, about one-third the length of the dorsal plate. (ref. ID; 3180)

The body is ovoid in shape. The dorsal plate has a shallow emargination in the position of the posterior notch. The ventral plate is nearly as large as the dorsal all around. There are a pair of lateral, longitudinal sulci on each side of the body, that connect the dorsal and ventral plates, each lateral pair being separated by a flange of stiffened cuticle. A cross-section would look as if the dorsal and ventral plate were both connected by two bellows-like folds. There is a shield-like process above and protecting the first foot-joint, as in Euchlanis proxima and meneta. The foot is stout and has three robust joints which project considerably beyond the lorica in extended specimens. The setae on the dorsal side of the penultimate foot-joint seem to be wanting. The toes are short and parallel-sided; they are about one-third the length of the dorsal plate. The dorsal and lateral antennae are normal and in the usual positions. The mastax is modified malleate in type. The rami are triangular in ventral view and there are six opposing, functional teeth in each uncus. There are a very minute pair of denticulate combs, one on the inner side of the tip of each ramus. The retrocerebral sac is relatively small. There are two closely connected eye-spots near the posterior part of the ganglion. The foot glands and their accessories are very long and slender. The remainder of the anatomy is normal. (ref. ID; 3246)

Dorsal and ventral plates nearly equal, with a doubly folded cuticule joining them together. Foot with three segments. Toes short. In brackish water. (ref. ID; 4594)

Ecology

Myers stated that "T. plicata is common in the salt water of bays and inlets, wherever there is growth of marine algae; it is the only marine Euchalanid rotifer known". (see: ref. ID; 3246) Rodewald described T. plicata var. razelmi from brackish water of Rumania, with long and narrow lorica, deep rounded cut for dorsal plate and longer cuticular plate on the foot than T. plicata. Anne Thane-Fenchel reported it from marine waters of Denmark. Dr. P.J. Donner, Austria, sated that he has obtained it from a freshwater reservoir in Madras. Dhanapathi considered occurrence of T. plicata in freshwater as very rare but, more detailed study is required to know about its distribution. (ref. ID; 1937)

Measurements

Length of the body 168; length of dorsal plate 84; length of ventral plate 98; length of toes 28 µm. (ref. ID; 1937)

Length of ventral plate 138; length of dorsal plate 129; width of lorica 123; width at anterior margin 45; toes 42 µm. (ref. ID; 2715)

Total length 124; body 90 long; anterior extremity 110 wide, 40 high; widest part 140; highest part 62; toes 30 µm. (ref. ID; 3083)

Length of the dorsal plate 90; length of ventral plate 100; width of dorsal plate 60; width of ventral plate 55; length of toes 25 µm. (ref. ID; 3246)

Total length 240-290 µm. (ref. ID; 4594)