Macrobiotus sicheli, Binda, Maria Grazia, Pilato, Giovanni & Lisi, Oscar, 2005
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.273289 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5669893 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/6656879B-9668-FF97-FEEF-A93F181BFB6E |
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treatment provided by |
Plazi |
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scientific name |
Macrobiotus sicheli |
| status |
sp. nov. |
Macrobiotus sicheli View in CoL sp. nov. ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 )
Type locality. South Africa, Tzitzikama (an undetermined moss sample).
Material examined. South Africa, Tzitzikama: holotype, 29 paratypes and 7 eggs.
Type repository: Collection of Binda and Pilato: Department of Animal Biology “Marcello La Greca”, University of Catania.
Binda (1984) attributed to M. furciger specimens and eggs from South Africa; some differences with respect to the description of this species were attributed to the individual variability. We compared the material from South Africa with specimens of M. furciger from the South Georgia described above, and noted some differences that induce us to attribute the South African specimens to a new species here described and named M. sicheli sp. nov.
Description of the holotype. Body length 329 m; colourless, eyes present, cuticle with small dots difficult to see ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 C). Buccopharyngeal apparatus of Macrobiotus type ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 A); mouth terminal with ten peribuccal lamellae; buccal cavity wall with an anterior band of fine teeth, a posterior crown of triangular teeth and three dorsal and three ventral transverse ridges. Also some supplementary teeth present. Buccal tube 45.4 m long and 8.3 m wide (pt = 18.3). Stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube at 80 % of its length (pt = 80). The pharyngeal bulb (46.3 m x 32 m) has pharyngeal apophyses, three rodshaped macroplacoids and microplacoid. First macroplacoid 7.4 m long (pt = 16.3), second 6.1 m (pt = 13.4), third, with a preterminal narrowing, 7.3 m (pt = 16.1), microplacoid 5.2 m long (pt = 11.4); entire placoid row 27.7 m long (pt = 61.0), macroplacoid row 21.8 m long (pt = 48.0).
The claws, of the hufelandi type, are short with accessory points on main branches ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 B). External claws of third pair of legs 9.5 m long (pt = 20.9). The unfavourable orientation does not allow measurement of other claws; in Table 1 View TABLE 1 the length of claws of a paratype 230 m long is indicated. Smooth lunules are present; a cuticular thickening is present near the lunules on the first three pairs of legs.
The eggs ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D, E), freely laid, are spherical with truncoconical processes with the extremity divided (the division may be dichotomic or multiple); the diameter is 66–85.5 m excluding the processes, 82–95 m including them. The processes, 15–23 in the circumference, have a large basal portion and a narrower terminal portion divided twice or thrice (more rarely once) at the apex; the branches are therefore short, and the terminal branches very short ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 D). Process surface smooth without refracting areas. The processes in the largest measured egg are 6.5–7.8 m high, the basal diameter in the same egg is 7.9–12.2 m .. The base of each process has a crown of projections forming a very evident crown of dots. The egg shell is dotted; some dots may be contiguous to one another and form a trace of an irregular reticular design ( Fig. 5 View FIGURE 5 E).
Etymology. The name sicheli is in honour of Prof. Giovanni Sichel, cellular biologist of University of Catania and our friend.
Remarks. Macrobiotus sicheli sp. nov. differs from M. furciger in the following features: cuticle finely dotted; wider buccal tube ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ); stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube in a more caudal position (pt = 79.3–80.0 in M. sicheli sp. nov., 76.2–77.1 in M. furciger ); third macroplacoid about long as the first one ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ); claws shorter ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ); accessory points less developed; and in some characters of the egg (smaller dimensions; processes shorter, without refracting areas, divided only in the terminal portion and therefore with branches shorter; basal crown of projections more evident; egg shell with more evident dots but without a true, regular, reticular design).
The new species differs from M. aradasi sp. nov. in the following features: cuticle finely dotted; buccal armature with anterior band of teeth present; posterior crown of teeth more developed; wider buccal tube ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ); stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube in more caudal position (pt = 79.3–80.0 in M. sicheli sp. nov., 72.0– 72.8 in M. aradasi sp. nov.); microplacoid slightly longer ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ), claws shorter ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ) with accessory points less developed; and in some characters of the eggs (egg processes divided only in the terminal portion and therefore with branches clearly shorter; basal projections forming a more evident basal crown of dots; egg shell with more evident dots but without a true, regular, reticular design).
Macrobiotus sicheli sp. nov. differs from M. divergens sp. nov. in the following features: cuticle finely dotted; eyes present; stylet sheaths normally shaped, i.e., not very thick and with the caudal portion not diverging from the buccal tube walls; stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube in a more caudal position (pt = 79.3–80.0 in M. sicheli sp. nov., 74.9–77.5 in M. divergens sp. nov.); microplacoid more developed ( Table 1 View TABLE 1 ); claws with accessory points less developed; and in some characters of the eggs (processes more developed, divided only in the terminal portion and therefore with branches shorter; basal projections more developed and forming a more evident crown of basal dots; egg shell with more evident dots but without a true, regular, reticular design).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.