Redudasys

Garraffoni, Andre R. S., Araujo, Thiago Q., Lourenco, Anete P. & Balsamo, Maria, 2010, New data on freshwater psammic Gastrotricha from Brazil, ZooKeys 60, pp. 1-12 : 7

Redudasys sp. Fig. 9Table 7

Material.

Água limpa: 8 specimens; Cabral Montains: 4 specimens. Video sequence (format.mov) is available at http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1F7NJ1XI

Description.

The description is based on an adult specimen 461.54 μm in total length. Cephalic cilia occur in one transverse dorsal row as well as in irregularly distributed tufts located at the anterolateral head margin. The mouth opening has a diameter of 10.1 µm. Pharynx 153.85 μm in length from the posterior edge of the mouth to the junction with the intestine. Two elongated caudal lobes, 25.64 µm long and 4.76 µm wide. Median caudal cone absent. Only anterior and caudal adhesive tubes are typically present. One anterior tube per side located laterally in the anterior part of the body. Seven tacticle bristles per side along the lateral body and one per side on the caudal end. Two pairs of caudal adhesive tubes. The inner tube (7.14 µm long) is usually 2/5 shorter than the external one (11.9 µm long).

Distribution.

Brazil: Diamantina, Cabral Mountains (Minas Gerais State).

Remarks.

The specimens found in Minas Gerais State areundoubtedly members of the genus Redudays , an incertae sedis Macrodasyida taxon recorded from a freshwater environment ( Kisielewski 1987). However, the data gathered in the present study allow to exclude their affiliation to the single species described in this genus so far, Redudays fornerisae Kisielewski, 1987. Our specimens presented seven of tactile bristles per side along the body, and one per side on the caudal body end, that is a total of eight bristles per side, and in addition they had one anterior tube per side. Many of the great number of specimens found in our samples showed a large egg in the trunk region. The species Redudasys fornerisae presents six tactile bristles per side along the body and one per side on caudal body end, that is a total of seven bristles per side, and in addition they had two anterior tube per side. Furthermore, the description of Redudasys fornerisae was based on six adult individuals ( Kisielewski 1987). Indeed, the specimen used for the description was considered an adult individual by the presence of mature oocytes and a mature egg. For this reason, we strongly believe that the specimen here described is an adult and cannot be considered as an early stage of development of Redudasys fornerisae . Moreover, even in the smaller specimens from the twelve specimens (0,280 mm; Table 7) there are eight tactile bristles per side.