Dicranophorus caudatus / Dicranophoroides caudatus Harring & Myers 1928
Dicranophoroides caudatus; with the conspicuous red frontal eyespots this species might be regarded as a Cephalodella species. But the forcipate mastax makes it clear that it is a dicranophorid rotifer. The special trophi structure (see beloew images) justifies a new genus for this species: Dicranophoroides (De Smet 1997). This species is also characterised by the presence of zoochlorellae. (3)
 
Dicranophoroides caudatus; same specimen, focus plane on the circumapical band (3)
 
Dicranophoroides caudatus; lateral view of specimen from (2)
 
Dicranophoroides caudatus, same specimen, dorsoventral view showing the two frontal eyespots. (2)
 
Dicranophoroides caudatus, compressed specimen from (3) showing the two red eyespots; the green zoochlorellae and some paramylon grains from the digested diet of euglenid flagellates.
 
Dicranophoroides caudatus, lives at the boundary layer between detritus / mud and the water body of ponds and puddles. Like other Dicranophorids the trophi can be stretched out. (1).
 

Dicranophoroides caudatus, forcipate trophi of specimen from (3) Upper images: complete trophi; different focus planes. Lower images: right part of the incus showing the anterior the subbasal chamber (sbC) with 3 subapical teeth and the basal chamber (bC) with 2 inwardly directed teeth. right: right manubrium.

Fu: fulcrum; E: fan-shaped elements of the epipharynx; Ma: manubria, Ra: rami; sbC: subbasal chamber of ramus; bC: basal chamber of ramus; U: uncus.

Images not to scale. (3)

 
Sample (3) courtesy of Dr. Martin Kreutz, Konstanz.
 
 
Location: Wahner Heide near Cologne, NRW, Germany (1); Paradieswiese, Bezirk Kitzbühel, Austria (2); Simmelried near Konstanz, BW, Germany; Sphagnum-pond (3)
Habitat: puddle (1); Spagnum hollow (2); psammon (3)
Date: 06.06.2009 (1); 14.10.2014 (2); coll 07/2021, img.: 18.07.2021 (3)
 
 
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