Lepadella punctata (Wulfert, 1939)
Most likely ID: n.a.
Synonym: n. a.
Sampling location: Bussenried, Simmelried
Phylogenetic tree: Lepadella punctata
Diagnosis:
- lorica subcircular to widely ovate
- lorica with circular humps (ventrally and dorsally), humps become smaller towards lateral sides
- length of lorica ~ 80 µm, width ~ 65 µm
- dorsal side with 2 keels and 2 secondary keels
- ventral sinus semicircular
- 2 eyespots
- three foot segments, toes pointed
Lepadella punctata has been found only very rarely. According to Koste, 1978 (s. Literature) only 2 specimens were found. In my sites Simmelried and Bussenried I find the species regularly. I have the following records:
Dec 1997 : Simmelried
Mar 2008 : Simmelried
May 2008 : Simmelried
May 2010 : Simmelried
Jun 2014 : Simmelried
Aug 2021 : Bussenried
In my population the length of the lorica was between 52 and 69 µm, so slightly smaller than given by Wulfert. I could not document exactly the dorsal side of the lorica with the four keels, but I could recognize the two larger main keels (s. fig. 5a). The ornamentation of the ventral side appears to be almost crust-like in freely swimming specimens (s. fig. 4 a-b). Above the foot opening there is a semicircular arch of round humps (s. fig. 2). The round humps of the ventral lorica are thus arranged in a defined way and not “statistically” arranged as Wulfert drew it.
More images and information of Lepadella punctata: Michael Plewka-Freshwater life-Lepadella punctata
Fig. 1 a-b: Lepadella punctata. L = 52 µm (of the lorica). Ventral view of a freely swimming specimen found in Dec 1997. Obj. 40 X.
Fig. 2: Lepadella punctata. L = 52 µm (of the lorica). The squashed specimen shown in fig. 1 with the ornamentation of the ventral lorica with circular humps in detail. Obj. 100 X.
Fig. 3 a-b: Lepadella punctata. L = 63 µm (of the lorica). Two focal planes from ventral of a second specimen found in May 2010. Obj. 100 X.
Fig. 4 a-b: Lepadella punctata. L = 69 µm (of the lorica). Ventral view of a third freely swimming specimen found in August 2021. Obj. 60 X.
Fig. 5 a-c: Lepadella punctata. L = 60 µm (of the lorica). Dorsal view of a slightly squashed specimen. Note the double keel (DK) and the round humps also present on the dorsal side. Obj. 100 X.