Chaetonotus (Captochaetus) cf. simrothi

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 : 479

Chaetonotus (Captochaetus) cf. simrothi (sp. C8)

Localities. A pond near Galt Creek, Puslinch district.

Material. 2 specimens.

Large specimens, more than 250 µm in total body length. Head five-lobed with equal-sized lobes. Two pairs of sensory ciliary tufts, posterior pair with very long cilia. Cephalion very large, overlapping the head. Hypostomion present and looks like a clasp or buckle.

The dorsal trunk scales are similar to those of Chaetonotus (C.) simrothi Voigt, 1909 . They are slightly pentagonal, keeled along 2/3 of their lengths, and strongly incised posteriorly. The edges of the scales are more rounded anteriorly than posteriorly. Each scale bears a simple spine that is very thick for the first third of the length; the spine subsequently bends abruptly and becomes very thin. The latter character is especially true for the lateral spines. Spines at the base of the furca almost reach the distal tips of the adhesive tubes. A field of very short spines is situated dorsally in the posterior trunk region.

The ventral interciliary field is covered by 10 columns of minute, short-spined scales. A pair of ventral terminal scales is present.

The mouth is very wide, as in C. (C.) simrothi and bears distinct spines.

This species may be related to the simrothi -group (see Schwank 1990).