title: Two new Japanese species of Gastrotricha (Chaetonotida, Chaetonotidae, Lepidodermella and Dichaeturidae, Dichaetura), with Comments on the Diversity of Gastrotrichs in Rice Paddies.
abstract: Two new species of freshwater gastrotrichs are described from rice paddies in Otsu, Shiga, Japan. Lepidodermella acantholepida n. sp. is a medium sized species attaining a length of 145 microum, scales are flattened ovals and similar to those of L. squamata except that two dorsal scales near the furca have a claw-like spine. Dichaeturafilispina n. sp. is a medium sized species attaining a length of 185 microm, characterized by a thin, fiber-like spine, a spined furca with a constriction near its base and an elongate body. A total of 44 species (seven genera) including two new species were found in the rice paddies. The diversity of rice paddy gastrotrichs is briefly discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology Graduate School of Science, Osaka University, 1-1 Machikaneyatna, Toyonaka, Osaka 560-0043, Japan. tsuzuki@bio.sci.osaka-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Takahito G
authors.initials: TG
authors.lastname: Suzuki
authors.forename: Masako
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Hidetaka
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Furuya
mesh_terms: D000825:Animal Structures / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development; D000818:Animals; D049628:Body Size; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000145:classification* / Q000254:growth & development; D007564:Japan; D009929:Organ Size; D012275:Oryza / Q000254:growth & development