Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) superbus
Reference
Rataj Križanová F. & Vďačný P. (2022) A huge undescribed diversity of the subgenus Hystricochaetonotus (Gastrotricha, Chaetonotidae, Chaetonotus) in Central Europe. European Journal of Taxonomy 840: 1-93. https://doi.org/10.5852/ejt.2022.840.1941
Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) superbus, schematic drawings. (A, H) Dorsal and lateral overviews showing the scale and spine pattern. (B) Head scale. (C) Neck scale. (D) Trunk scale. (E) Ventral scales. (F) Upper-furcal dorsal scales. (G) Lateral view of a trunk spined scale. (I) Lateral view showing the connection of a transversal band to the base of a scale. (J) Lateral overview showing the internal morphology. (K) Lateral view of the anterior body region. Scale bars: 30 μm.
© 2022 Rataj Križanová F. & Vďačný P. This picture is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
Secondary structure of the 18S rRNA molecule of Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) superbus. The single diagnostic molecular autapomorphy is situated in the terminal loop of helix 11 (red arrow). The reference 18S secondary structure map of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (inset) is from apollo.chemistry.gatech.edu/RibosomeGallery.
© 2022 Rataj Križanová F. & Vďačný P. This picture is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
Secondary structure of the first two domains of the 28S rRNA molecule of Chaetonotus (Hystricochaetonotus) superbus. Diagnostic molecular autapomorphies are marked by red arrows. The reference 28S secondary structure map of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (inset) is from apollo.chemistry.gatech.edu/RibosomeGallery.
© 2022 Rataj Križanová F. & Vďačný P. This picture is licensed under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license.
Morphological diagnosis
Body stocky and about 107 μm long. Head wider than neck, separated from trunk by an inconspicuous neck constriction. Cephalion, epipleurae, and hypopleurae clearly demarcated. Trunk gradually widens from ca U37 to U60 and then gradually tapers towards furca base at U80. Mouth ventral, with delicate protruding structures, no cuticular teeth. Pharynx without dilatations. Intestine straight, with a marked anterior section. Scales spined, three-lobed, not overlapping, distributed in 10–12 columns, 15 scales per column. Spines with a short lateral denticle. Scales and spines increase gradually in size in a posterior direction. Dorsal surface covered by scales from posterior end of cephalion (ca U3) to furca base (ca U93). Furca base short, lateral margins of furca branches more or less straight, furcal indentation deeply U-shaped, adhesive tubes well-developed, almost parallel. Furca base and branches covered with oval, keeled scales.
Molecular diagnosis
18S rRNA gene: 341 C.
ITS2: 26 T, 28 G, 40 A, 41 C, 50 T, 62 G, 78 C, 87 A, 96 C, 107 A, 108 A, 112 ‒, 116 G, 117 A, 118 A, 131 T, 139 T, 157 C, 167 T, 168 T.
28S rRNA gene: 317 A, 690 T, 797 T, 902 G.
Cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (codon ordinal numbers are followed by the corresponding span of nucleotide positions in parentheses): 29 (85‒87) AGT, 44 (130‒132) GTA, 71 (211‒213) CCA, 75 (223‒225) GGT, 81 (241‒243) TTT, 97 (289‒291) TCT, 124 (370‒372) GCT, 126 (376‒378) GCC, 139 (415‒417) CTA, 142 (424‒426) GCC, 155 (463‒465) ACT, 170 (508‒510) CTG, 189 (565‒567) TTC, 196 (586‒588) CTG, 221 (661‒663) CTG.
Type material
A DNA sample of the holotype specimen ZPvs 55 has been deposited in the Natural History Museum, Vajanského nábrežie 2, 810 06 Bratislava, Slovakia (ID Collection Code 01427126).
Type locality
Zlaté Piesky lake, Ružinov, Bratislava, Podunajská rovina plain, Slovakia, 48°11′17.1″ N, 17°11′24.3″ E.