Paradicranophorus halophilus, De Smet, Willem H., 2015

De Smet, Willem H., 2015, Rotifera from the Mediterranean Sea, with description of ten new species, Zootaxa 4028 (2), pp. 151-196 : 190-191

Paradicranophorus spp.

Paradicranophorus sp. 1 is very similar in habitus to P. halophilus sp. nov. and occasionally co-occurring, but can not be described for lack of specimens. However, the trophi ( Fig. 27 G, H) allow for an unambiguous distinction: main differences concern shape of rami, unci, apical rami teeth and preuncinal teeth, and the absence of a stout tooth on the inner ramus margin in Paradicranophorus sp. 1.

It was found in psammon from the Costa Blanca and Tyrrhenian Sea, 50 m to 1 km off shore, depth 30−40 m, water temperature 22−24 °C.

Two more species with affinities to Paradicranophorus wesenberglundi Sørensen, 2001 could not be described due to the small number of specimens available. Trophi of Paradicranophorus sp. 2 ( Fig. 27 I) and 3 ( Fig. 27 J) differ from those of P. wesenberglundi (see Sørensen 2001b) by, amongst others, shape of unci and apical rami teeth; main differences distinguishing sp. 2 and sp. 3 are the shape of the median rami opening (lenticular in sp. 2 vs. elongate drop-shaped in sp. 3), and the manubria (evenly curved in sp. 2 vs. weakly incurved distally in sp. 3).

Both species were found once at the Côte d’Azur: sp. 2 in the Hyères Archipelago at 4 km off shore and depth of 45 m; sp. 3 at Cap Bénat, 50 m from shoreline and depth of 20 m.

Figures

FIGURE 27. SEM photographs of trophi, complete sets. A. Cephalodella sp., lateral; B. Lindia elsae De Smet, dorsal; C. Encentrum sp. 1, ventral; D. Encentrum striatum Althaus, ventral; E. Encentrum astridae Sørensen, dorsal; F. Encentrum sp. 2, dorsal; G. Paradicranophorus sp. 1, dorsal; H. Paradicranophorus sp. 1, ventral; I. Paradicranophorus sp. 2, dorsal; Paradicranophoru s sp. 3, ventral. Scale bars: 10 µm.