Habrotrocha roeperi Milne 1889
Habrotrocha roeperi: lateral view, whirling. H. roeperi lives in special cells of Sphagnum: the so-called retort cells of the cortex. (2). Another species that could be observed in these retort cells of Sphagnum is Scepanotrocha rubra. Another Habrotrocha-species which however lives in the hyaline cells of Sphagnum is Habrotrocha reclusa. (2)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: latera view,crop of the above image. DT: dorsal antenna; A: eyespots. H. roeperi is one of the two species of the genus Habrotrocha which has eyespots (the other one is Habrotrocha. collaris). R: rostrum; C: cilia of the wheel organ; UL: lower lip; M: mouth; Ma: mastax with trophi. The interspace between the dorsal antenna and the rostrum is much wider in H. roeperi than in H. reclusa. (2)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: two specimen in retort cells; the left one is contracted, the right one is whirling. Up to 10 specimens have been counted in one stem of Sphagnum. (2)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: contracted specimen in a retort cell. The arrowheads point to the openings of the retort cells. (2)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: creeping specimen. yellow arrowheads: food pills in the intestinum. Green arrowhead: eyespots in rostrum. (1)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: dorsoventral view, creeping. Sp: Spurs; FD: foot glands; Ma: Mastax with trophi; dental formula 3/3. (1)
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: another specimen from (3)). H. roeperi is one of the Habrotrocha species with eyespots. The other species with eyespots (on the brain) is Habrotrocha collaris. (1). This species maybe also confused with Habrotrocha reclusa, which also lives in Sphagnum cells, but the latter species lacks the conspicuous red eyspots in the rostrum which are typical for H. roeperi. Also the interspace between the rostrum and the dorsal antenna in H. roeperi is larger than in H. reclusa (see first image on this page). Habrotrocha roeperi is reported to live (exclusively?) in the retort cells of Sphagnum, while H. reclusa can be found in the hyaline cells of the leafs of Sphagnum and free-living.
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: same specimen (13.10.2011); ramate trophi; dental formula (DF): 3/3.
 
Habrotrocha roeperi: specimen from (4)
 
 
Location: Wahner Heide near Cologne/ Germany (1); nature reserve NSG Schwalm-Nette; pond (2); (3) Risør, Norway, moss (4)
Habitat: Sphagnum-bog (1); (2); moss (3)
Date: 30.03.2010 (1); 05.01.2012 (2); 13.10.2011 (3) ;
Location (4): Risør, Norway;  
 
Habitat (4): moss (Sphagnum)
 
Date (4): coll.: 10.09.2021; img.: img.: 13.12.2021 ;
 
Sample (4) courtesy of Dr. D. Fontaneto, Verbania, Italy
 
 
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