Chaetonotus (Chaetonotus) cf. oculifer Kisielewski, 1981

Schwank, Peter & Kånneby, Tobias, 2014, Contribution to the freshwater gastrotrich fauna of wetland areas of southwestern Ontario (Canada) with redescriptions of seven species and a check-list for North America, Zootaxa 3811 (4), pp. 463-490 : 477

Chaetonotus (Chaetonotus) cf. oculifer Kisielewski, 1981

Localities. A pond near Galt Creek, Puslinch district.

Material. 1 specimen.

Very small and stocky specimen, 80–85 µm in total body length. Head five-lobed with two pairs of sensory ciliary tufts. Two pairs of ocellar granules present. Head 23–25 µm wide.

Seven to eight dorsal columns, each with 20–23 strongly curved spines 6–7 µm in length. Spines only marginally increase in size towards the posterior end. Pharynx 25 µm in length, with weak terminal swellings.

This specimen is very similar to Chaetonotus (C.) oculifer Kisielewski, 1981 and also to Chaetonotus (C.) oculatus Schwank, 1990 . However, since the shape of the scales could not be distinguished a definite identification was not possible. Chaetonotus (C.) splendidus Preobrajenskaja, 1926 has many more spines and a head wider than the trunk.