Lepadella jingruae, Luo & Segers, 2020

Luo, Yongting & Segers, Hendrik, 2020, Eight new Lepadellidae (Rotifera, Monogononta) from the Congo bring to level endemism in Africa’s rotifers, Zootaxa 4731 (3), pp. 371-387 : 376

Lepadella jingruae n. sp.

Figures 6 a–c, I-5

Type locality. Lohulu River near Bomane, DR Congo 24 May 2010 ( KM48 , KM49 ) .

Material examined. Holotype: one female specimen in permanent slide, deposited in RBINS ( RIR.305) ; Paratypes: six permanent slides containing one female specimen each, deposited in RBINS ( RIR.306 to RIR.311) , one permanent slides containing one female specimen and one permanent slide containing two female specimens in CSB-UK; one permanent slide containing two female specimens, deposited in SHNU.

Differential diagnosis. The relatively flat lorica of L. jingruae n. sp. places the species in the vicinity of L. ovalis ( Müller, 1786) and L. eurysterna Myers, 1942 . The new species is diagnosed from both by the remarkable protruding projections laterally of the head aperture, and further from L. ovalis by its smaller size and posteriorly rounded lorica (relatively large and with a sharply set-of posterior concavity in L. ovalis ). Lepadella jingruae n. sp. can easily be distinguished from species of the L. patella— complex, including the similarly rounded L. discoidea Segers, 1993 by its flat lorica and the protruding lateral projections of the head aperture.

Differential diagnosis. Parthenogenetic female (male unknown): Lorica rounded, about as wide as long. Ventral lorica flat, dorsally with a central dome, lateral parts strongly flattened, lorica about thrice as wide as high. Head aperture ventrally a deep V-shaped sinus, dorsally semi-circular in anterior view, broadly U-shaped in ventral view, with weak collar. Anterior of lorica protruding into a pair of well-developed, sharp projections. Lateral margins of lorica smooth, evenly curved, posterior edge convex. Dorsal lorica smooth, without markings. Apertures to the lateral antennas situated slightly posterior the level of the anterior margin of the foot aperture, arranged symmetrically about medially from median axis to the lateral margin of the lorica. Foot aperture elongate, lateral margins diverging to posteriorly. Foot with three distinct pseudosegments, the distal one about twice as long as the second, bearing a dorsal sensory groove near its basis. A pair of equal-sized toes present, these almost parallel-sided basally, more strongly tapering from about midway to distally.

Measurements (n=10). Lorica length: 100–110 (106), width: 90–101 (93); head aperture width: 25–31 (28), depth dorsally: 15–21 (18), depth ventrally: 24–28 (25), foot aperture width: 15–19 (18), length: 26–31 (28), toe length: 26–29 (29).

Etymology. The specific name is as a noun in the genitive case, after Miss Jingru Zhu, daughter of the first author of this paper.

Figures

FIGURE 5–9. Lepadella spp., line drawings. Figure 5a–c: Lepadella hanneloreae n. sp., habitus. a: ventral; b: dorsal; c: frontal. Figure 6a–c: Lepadella jingruae n. sp., habitus. a: ventral; b: lateral; c: frontal. Figure 7a–c: Lepadella weijiai n. sp., habitus. a: ventral; b: dorsal; c: frontal. Figure 8a–c: Lepadella yangambi n. sp., habitus. a: ventral; b: dorsal; c: lateral; d: caudal. Figure 9a–c: Lepadella wilungulai n. sp., habitus. a: ventral; b: dorsal; c: frontal. (all scale bars: 50µm).