Figure 1.
Gastrotricha, Thaumastodermatidae, Diplodasyinae.
SEM photomicrographs showing the general body shape and aspects of the cuticular covering of representatives of the genera Diplodasys and Acanthodasys. A, B, Diplodasys ankeli, dorsal and ventral view respectively; C, D, Diplodasys sp. from Kuwait, dorsal and ventral view respectively; E, F, Acanthodasys aculeataus, habitus and close-up of the anterior end. Scale bars A, B, E = 50 µm, C, D = 20 µm, F = 10 µm.
Figure 2.
Gastrotricha, Thaumastodermatidae, Thaumastodermatinae.
SEM photomicrographs showing the general body shape and aspects of the cuticular covering of representatives of the genera Oregodasys, Tetranchyroderma and Thaumastoderma. A, B, Oregodasys ocellatus dorsal and ventral view respectively; C, E Tetranchyroderma cf. antennatum, C, habitus dorsal view, E, close-up of the anterior end in a ventral view showing the ample mouth, adhesive tubes of the anterior series and cephalic sensory organ; D, F Thaumastoderma ramuliferum, D, habitus in ventral view; F, close-up of the anterior end in a dorsal view showing the cuticular armature made up of tetrancres, cephalic sensory organs and the cirrata tubes. Scale bars A–C = 50 µm, D–F = 20 µm.
Figure 3.
Gastrotricha, Thaumastodermatidae, Thaumastodermatinae.
DIC (A, C) and SEM (B,D,E) photomicrographs showing the general body shape and aspects of the cuticular covering of representatives of the genera Pseudostomella and Ptychostomella. A, B, Pseudostomella etrusca, A, habitus, B, close-up of the anterior end showing the impressive oral palps; C, Ptychostomella sp 1, habitus; D, Ptychostomella mediterranea, habitus, dorsal view; E, Ptychostomella sp., habitus ventral view. The latter two species were not involved in the molecular study. Scale bars A, C = 50 µm, B, D, E = 20 µm.
Table 1.
Thaumastodermatidae taxa used in this study.
Table 2.
Non-Thaumastodermatidae taxa used in this study.
Table 3.
Primers used in this study and their respective direction, primer sequence as well as usage.
Figure 4.
Phylogenetic relationships of Thaumastodermatidae inferred from Bayesian analysis of 18S, 28S rDNA and COI mtDNA.
The outgroup is represented by Xenotrichula intermedia (Chaetonotida, Xenotrichulidae). Number at nodes represent posterior probabilities (regular) and bootstrap support values (italics). For Bayesian values only nodes with ≥95 are shown (95% majority rule consensus) and for bootstrap support only nodes with ≥75 are shown.
Figure 5.
Phylogenetic relationships of Thaumastodermatidae inferred from Bayesian analysis of 18S, 28S rDNA and COI mtDNA.
The outgroup is represented by Dactylopodola cf. baltica, D. mesotyphle and D. typhle (Macrodasyida, Dactylopodolidae). Number at nodes represent posterior probabilities (regular) and bootstrap support values (italics). For Bayesian values only nodes with ≥95 are shown (95% majority rule consensus) and for bootstrap support only nodes with ≥75 are shown.
Table 4.
Output from Consel.