Habrotrocha flaviformis De Koning, 1947

Song, Min Ok & Min, Gi-Sik, 2015, A new species and ten new records of bdelloid rotifers from Korea, Zootaxa 3964 (2), pp. 211-227 : 219

Habrotrocha flaviformis De Koning, 1947

Figure 5

Material. Two specimens found in mosses and soil from Hansan-do, Tongyeong-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, August 15, 2013.

Since the original description from the Netherlands by De Koning (1947), the distribution of this species has been restricted to several countries in Europe ( Donner 1965) and New Zealand ( Shiel & Green 1996). This species is easily recognized by its long feeding head, on which the space between the upper lip and the rostrum is quite extended. It also has a very long neck, which makes the pharyngeal tube three times as long as the trophi length. Another important diagnostic characteristic of this species is the triangular projection in the middle of the sulcus ( Fig. 5 a). Donner (1965) did not mention this projection in sulcus, however, it was depicted in one of the figures (Abb. 15c) of Donner (1949). The general morphology of the Korean specimens conforms the original description, except for the following characteristics: (1) the trunks of the Korean specimens are not granulated; and (2) the first foot pseudosegments of the Austrian population ( Donner 1949) are much longer than those of the Korean specimens. The feet of the Korean specimens are short and barely stretched fully ( Fig. 5 d).

Measurements. Corona width 31 µm. Collar width 29 µm.

Figures

FIGURE 5. Habrotrocha flaviformis De Koning, 1947. (a) feeding, ventrolateral view; (b) feeding head, dorsolateral view; (c) feeding head, lateral view; (d) foot, spurs and toes, ventral view (scale bars: a = 50 µm; b – c = 20 µm; d = 10 µm).