A new species of Urodasys (Gastrotricha, Macrodasyida) from dysoxic sediments of the Santa Barbara Basin (California, U.S.A.)

Authors: Todaro, M. Antonio; Bernhard, Joan M.; Hummon, William D.

Source: Bulletin of Marine Science, Volume 66, Number 2, March 2000 , pp. 467-476(10)

Publisher: University of Miami - Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science

Key:

- Free Content

- New Content

- Subscribed Content

- Free Trial Content

Abstract:

Numerous specimens belonging to an undescribed macrodasyid gastrotrich species were recovered during a survey of the biota associated with the severely dysoxic sediments of the Santa Barbara Basin, off California, U.S.A. Densities of this species reach 10 specimens cm⁻². Urodasys anorektoxys sp. nov. is described and figured. Specimens of this taxon attain the largest size within the genus; body, excluding the motile tail, is up to 1100 μm in length. Adults are protandric, then simultaneous hermaphrodites and lack a stylet-like sexual structure; the main morphological traits include (1) a unitary ventral ciliary field, and (2) a pharyngeal region that bears a total of 14 pairs of adhesive tubes, 12 pairs ventrolaterally and two pairs dorsolaterally. The systematic position of the new species is discussed.

Document Type: Research article

Free content The full text is free.

View now: