Microcodides chlaena Gosse 1886

• Main Author: Sørensen, Martin Vinther
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2006
• Subjects: Biodiversity; Taxonomy; Animalia; Rotifera; Eurotatoria; Ploima; Epiphanidae; Microcodides; Microcodides chlaena; Greenland; Ilulissat; Myers
• Online Access: https://zenodo.org/record/5680526; https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5680526

Microcodides chlaena (Gosse, 1886) This species was extremely common in the samples. It has previously been recorded in Europe (see e.g. Wulfert 1940; Berzins 1978), the former Soviet Union (Kutikova 1965; 1970) India (Sarma, 1988), Australia (Shiel & Koste 1979) and North­ and South America (Harring & Myers 1922; Koste 1986, 1988; Nogrady 1989). On Greenland it has been recorded in the Ilulissat region (Bergendal 1892). Koste and Shiel (1987) consider the species as a cosmopolitan. The species is easily distinguished by the presence of toes with unequal length and lateral antennae in depressions located posterior to a pair of characteristic integumental elevations (Fig. 1 D). The adult animals are gibbous in lateral view and conical in dorso­ventral view (Fig. 1 D); immature animals are considerably smaller, with S­shaped body (Fig. 1 B). The body is divided into a head, a trunk and a foot region. The head is large, especially in the immature specimens. The dorsal part of the trunk has distinct longitudinal folds in the integument and the foot is composed of two pseudosegments. The corona is complicated, consisting of a continuous circumapical band that encircles the buccal field. A pseudotrochus is formed by four rows of long, stiff cirri. All cirri curve away from the mouth opening. Two other paired rows of cirri are located closer to the mouth opening. These cirri are shorter and curve towards the mouth opening. The buccal field is small and comprises a group of motile cilia around the mouth. The brain is large and saccate. Cerebral glands were not identified. A large eyespot is located on the ventral side of the brain. A pair of dorsal antennae is located dorsally on the head. Lateral antennae are located laterally, slightly behind the mid length of the trunk. Each antenna opens inside a small depression in a prominent wing­shaped elevation formed by the integument (Fig. 1 D). A short ciliated esophagus connects the pharynx and stomach. The stomach is large and contains a yellowish material. The ...