| 1. Rotaria quadricoculata; feeding specimen, dorsoventral view. Although the species name ("quadrioculata"= 4 eyes) refers to the number of 4 (rostral) eyespots which are visible in this specimen (arrowheads), the question is if there are really 4 light sensory structures or if only the red pigment is scattered around the rostrum, a phenomen that can also be observed in other bdelloid rotifers like for example R. macrura. R. quadrioculata is the only taxon of this genus which is depicted with such a pronounced upper lip / bolster (arrows) in the book of DONNER (1965) . (1) |
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| 1. Rotaria quadricoculata; same specimen, dorsoventral view; focal plane on the foot / spurs |
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| Rotaria cf quadricoculata; another specimen with the same upper lip; location (2) |
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| Rotaria cf quadricoculata; same specimen; rostrum with two eyespots; location (2) |
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| 1. Rotaria quadricoculata; swimming specimen, dorsoventral view. A characteristic trait are the thick bolsters on the divided upper lip (arrowheads). The moss-sample from which these specimens were observed had been dry for 3 months, which is remarkable for a Rotaria-species. (3) |
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| 2. Rotaria quadricoculata; creeping specimen, dorsoventral view. (3) |
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| Rotaria quadrioculata; anterior part of two different feeding specimens, showing the divided upper lip. Left: specimen from (1); right: specimen from (2) |
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| 2. Rotaria quadricoculata; two images of the anterior part, corona retracted. Left: dorsoventral view. Right: frontal view; focus plane on the rostrum with two (not four !!) eyespots and the dorsal antenna, which looks like truncated at the top. |
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| 2.Rotaria quadricoculata; foot with spurs and interspace |
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| 3.Rotaria quadricoculata; part of digestive system of a partially macerated specimen (right is the anterior part of the specimen). Pe: pedicels; BT: buccal tube; Mx: mastax with trophi ; SL: stomach lumen. |
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| 4.Rotaria quadricoculata; ramate trophi . Left: cephalic view; dental formula 3/ 2+1. Right: caudal view; ramus length (RaL): 18µm |
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| Sample (3) collection courtesy of Dr. D. Fontaneto, Verbania, Italy |
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| Location (1); (2): Lennep; NRW, Germany; water reservoir Wuppertalsperre, compensation pond |
| Habitat (1); (2) : moss |
| Date (1); (2): coll.: 14.01.2012; img.: 19.01.2012 ; |
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Location (3): Risør, Norway; |
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| Habitat (3): moss (Sphagnum) |
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| Date (3): coll.: 10.09.2021; img.: img.: 13.12.2021 |
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| Sample (3) courtesy of Dr. D. Fontaneto, Verbania, Italy |
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