Lepadella weijiai, 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 : 376-377

Lepadella weijiai n. sp.

Figures 7 a–c, I-7

Type locality. Yangambi primary forest, DR Congo, 11 June 2012 (Y27) ; a few specimens from Lohulu River near Bomane, DR Congo 24 May 2010 ( KM49 ). Numerous additional specimens in the sample from the type locality .

Material examined. Holotype: one female specimen in permanent slide, deposited in RBINS ( RIR. 312) ; Paratypes: seven permanent slides containing one female specimen each, deposited in RBINS ( RIR.313 to RIR.319); three permanent slides containing two female specimens each, deposited in CSB-UK .

Differential diagnosis. The high and broad dorsal longitudinal dome of the lorica in L. weijiai n. sp. is unique amongst Lepadella species and it is therefore hardly likely that the species would be mistaken for any congener. Nevertheless, confusion could be possible with L. rhomboides (Gosse, 1886) in Hudson & Gosse 1886 ), but the latter has a more elongate lorica, its dorsal dome is triangular in cross-section, and it has an elongate terminal foot pseudosegment. Also L. pyriformis Myers, 1938 and L. whitfordi Ahlstrom, 1938 have a broad dorsal longitudinal dome, but in these species this dome is either rounded in cross-section ( L. pyriformis ) or has four broad, longitudinal ridges ( L. whitfordi ), and the toes are distinctly longer.

Description. Parthenogenetic female (male unknown): Lorica elongate, elliptical, widest medially, less than twice as wide as high. Ventral lorica slightly convex, dorsally with a strongly developed longitudinal dome. Dorsal dome starting anteriorly at the head aperture, broadening to medially then converging to subterminally. Lateral parts of dorsal dome starting off ventrally concave, dorsally with relatively sharp lateral, and a rounded middorsal fold. Head aperture ventrally a deep V-shaped sinus, dorsally semi-circular in anterior view, broadly U-shaped in ventral view, with stippled collar. Lateral edges of lorica smooth, evenly curved, posterior edge pronouncedly convex. Apertures to the lateral antennas situated near the posterior end of the lateral concavities, slightly posterior to the level of the anterior margin of the foot aperture. Foot aperture elongate, broadest medially, lateral margins converging to both anteriorly and posteriorly. Foot with three distinct pseudosegments, the distal one slightly longer than the second, bearing a dorsal sensory groove near its basis. Two equal toes, these evenly tapering to distally.

Measurements (n=10). Lorica length: 77–92 (88), width: 74–78 (76), head aperture width: 23–30 (26), depth dorsally: 4–15 (11), depth ventrally: 20–25 (22), Foot aperture width: 13–18 (16), length: 18–23(22), toe length: 15–23 (19).

Etymology. The specific name is as a noun in the genitive case, formed after the name of the late Professor Weijia Yuan of Shanghai Normal University, in recognition of a life dedicated to scientific research and teaching.

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).