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ROTIFERA, Rotifers or Wheel animacules (phylum)

Wormlike animals with anterior wheel organ, which bears 
a usually double ciliated ring, the "cingulum" 
and the "trochus". This serves both for 
progression and for bringing up food.  
This serves both for progression and for bringing up food.

 

The jaw (trophi) are situated in the mastax and consists of 
five sets of elements: 
An unpaired median fulcrum (yellow) connects two 
rami (green) at their joint.  The rami are hollow, 
more or less triangular structures.  Fulcrum and 
rami are joined in a functional unit, the incus. 
The unci (blue) are plates formed by connection of 
a variable number of teeth into one rigid structure. 
The teeth are mostly unequal, with the ventral 
ones the largest. The manubria (red) are 
crescent-shaped and compartmented supports of 
the unci with (Ploima) or without (Flosculariaceae) 
an elongate shaft. Unci and manubria together form 
the malleus of the trophi (Fontaneto, 2007). 
Monogononts have seven different trophi types: 
Malleate, malleoramate, virgate, forcipate, 
incudate, uncinate. Se Fontaneto (2007)for 
further desciptions. 
No legs present, with or without tail like foot.
Food: Bacteria, algae, detritus. Planktonic or bentic:

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ROTIFERA, Rotifers. Key to the families of Philippine rotifers.

      (Key to genera and speciesà15)

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 7 a. Corona (wheel organ) of Conochilus or Hexarthra type
           FLOSCULARIACEA (order)......................................14

 

 7 b. Corona (wheel organ) not of Conochilus or Hexarthra type..........8

            

 8 a. Jaws (trophi) uncinate. Only unci well developed. Not important 
since the food is already pre-digested.

           COLLOTHECACEA (order),COLLOTHECIDAE (family à Collotheca)..77

 8 b. Jaws (trophi) not uncinated

           PLIOMA (order)...............................................9

 

 9 a. Corona (wheel organ) of Asplanchna type..........................10

 9 b. Corona (wheel organ) not of Asplanchna type......................12

 

10 a. Jaws (trophi) symmetrical........................................11

 

10 b. Jaws (trophi) asymmetrical

           TRICHOCERCIDAE (family à Trichocerca)......................60

11 a. Jaws (trophi) virgate. All four part present, fulcrum is long,
      asymmetric and the rami pointed. Piercing and sucking.

           SYNCHAETIDAE (family à Polyarthra).........................66

 

11 b. Jaws (trophi) incudate. Curved, sharp-pointed rami like pincers.
      Seizing type (Asplanchna).
           ASPLANCHNIDAE (family à Asplanchna, Asplanhnopus)..........64

 

12 a. Corona (wheel organ) of typical Euchlanis–Brachionus type........13

 

 

 

12 b. Corona (wheel organ) simple, not Euchlanis–Brachionus type

           LECANIDAE (family à Lecana)................................59

 

 

 

13 a. Anterior and/or posterior end with spines

           BRACHIONIDAE (super-family à Brachionus, Plationus, Platyias, 
            Keratella, Anuraeopsis, Euchlanis, Dipleuchlanis, Mytilina,

           Lepadella, Colurella, Trichotria)......................35

 

13 b. Anterior and posterior end without spines 

           GASTROPODIDAE (family à Ascomorpha)........................63

 

14 a. Corona (wheel organ) of Conochilus type

           CONOCHILIDAE (family à Conochilus).........................74
 

 

14 b. Corona (wheel organ) of Hexarthra type

          TESTUDINELLIDAE (incl. HEXARTHRIDAE) (family à 
           Testudinella, Pompholyx, Trochosphaera, Filinia,
          Hexarthra)............................................68

 

(Key to genera and speciesà15)

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