Habrotrocha acornis Murray, 1911

Song, Min Ok & Min, Gi-Sik, 2015, A new species and ten new records of bdelloid rotifers from Korea, Zootaxa 3964 (2), pp. 211-227 : 217

Habrotrocha acornis Murray, 1911

Figure 4

Material. Two specimens found in mushrooms growing on tree trunks at Gosu-ri, Danyang-gun, Chungcheongbuk-do, September 22, 2013.

This species is relatively rare and has previously been reported only from Brazil ( Murray 1913), since its original description from tropical Africa by Murray (1911).

The characteristics of the Korean specimens agree well with those of the type specimens. H. acornis is distinguishable from its congeners by the following characteristics: (1) the upper lip is arched with a thick and wavy margin, much lower than the sulcus, and with each side extended like an auricle; (2) the pseudosegment around the trophi is much wider than both the previous and the following pseudosegments, and has a trapezoidal outline, which is maintained during feeding; and (3) the sulcus has a large conical projection medially.

According to the original description, it was never observed in a nest or tube, although many characteristics indicated that the species was a tube-dweller ( Murray 1911). In the present study, we did not observe any of the Korean specimens in nests or tubes.

Measurements. Corona width 53 µm. Collar width 46 µm.

Figures

FIGURE 4. Habrotrocha acornis Murray, 1911. (a) feeding head and neck, dorsal view; (b) feeding, ventral view (scale bars: a – b = 50 µm).