Ascomorpha ovalis, dorsoventral view, focal plane on the finger-like palp (arrow), which is used for holding the algae while sucking them out. The four dark spots are defecation pellets: Ascomorpha ovalis has no anus, the stomach ends in 4 blind sacs.(2) |
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Ascomorpha ovalis, lateral view; focal plane on the gap between the dorsal and ventral plate of the lorica. (1) |
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Ascomorpha ovalis, another specimen from (2) showing the dorsal and ventral plate of the lorica. (2) |
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Ascomorpha ovalis; left: during the maceration procedure (with NaOCl; for trophi analysis) the dorsal and ventral plates of the lorica segregated from each other. Right: dorsal plate; the arrow points to the opening of the dorsal antenna. |
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Ascomorpha ovalis, ventral plate of the lorica. The arrowheads mark the openings of the two lateral antennas; there is a 3rd opening (arrow), the function of which is not clear (no cilia of an antenna could be observed). Both the dorsal and the ventral plate consist of 2 layers: 1. a network of more or less hexagonally arranged elements; in each of the resulting fields several pores can be recognized, which are probably located in the 2nd layer, a membrane (Wulfert, 1960). |
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Ascomorpha ovalis, During the maceration process, it was observed that under the influence of NaOCl, the network initially disintegrated into individual hexagons (arrow) , which in turn disintegrated into individual rods (arrowhead). On the right: virgate trophi in lateral view. In contrast to Ascomorpha ecaudis the manubria (Ma) are crutched. Fu: fulcrum; Ma: manubria; Ra: ramus; Un: unci (4) |
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Ascomorpha ovalis, virgate trophi; dorsoventral view. Left: specimen from (4); right: specimen from (2) |
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Location (4): water reservoir Heilenbecker Talsperre; Ennepetal, NRW, Germany |
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Habitat (4): plankton |
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Date (4): coll. 08.07.2022 ; img.: 11.07.2022 08.07.2022 |
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Location: water reservoir Glörtalsperre / NRW (1); water reservoir Wuppertalsperre / NRW (2) |
Habitat: Plankton (1);(2) |
Date: 4.6.2009(1); 17.09.2014(2) |
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