(Figure 14)
Localities. Pond, Storlien W, Jämtland (N 63 º 19 ’ 06’’; E 12 º 05’ 22 ’’); Pond, Storlien E, Jämtland (N 63 º 18 ’ 42 ’’; E 12 º 06’ 43 ’’); Lake Trösvattnet, Västmanland (N 59 º 33 ’ 21 ’’; E 14 º 29 ’ 23 ’’); Gravel pit, Åhus, Skåne (N 55 º 55 ’ 45 ’’; E 14 º 15 ’ 08’’); Small stream, Fiskebäckskil, Bohuslän (N 58 º 14 ’ 51 ’’; E 11 º 27 ’ 05’’); Freshwater Rockpool among Sphagnum spp., Hållö, Bohuslän (N 58 º 20 ’ 00’’; E 11 º 12 ’ 50 ’’) Artificial pond, Nybro, Småland (N 56 º 44 ’ 56 ’’; E 15 º 54 ’ 14 ’’); Ditch at Abisko Scientific Research Station, Abisko, Lapland (N 68 º 21 ’ 11 ’’; E 18 º 48 ’ 54 ’’); Meadow west of Abisko Scientific Research Station, Abisko, Lapland (N 68 º 21 ’ 18 ’’; E 18 º 48 ’ 40 ’’); Among Sphagnum spp., Mount Njulla, Lapland (N 68 º 21 ’ 36 ’’; E 18 º 43 ’ 02’’); Roadside ditch, Highway E 10, Lapland (N 68 º 25 ’ 45 ’’; E 18 º 18 ’ 17 ’’); Sphagnum spp. Bog at Highway E 10, Lapland (N 68 º 26 ’ 04’’; E 18 º 14 ’ 53 ’’).
Material. 14 specimens. TL, 155–179 µm; FL, 18–24 µm; AL, 12–15 µm; PhL, 46–52 µm; MD, 4–7 µm; DC, 7–9; DR, 28–30; VC, 5; VB, 20–24; TS, 6.5– 8 x 6.5– 9 µm; VTS, 12–14 x 6–7 µm.
Small to mid sized species with weakly five-lobed head. Hypostomium with two hooks. Dorsal head and trunk surface covered by smooth scales with either rounded or squared posterior edge; in the neck region the scales are more rectangular. The species is easily separated from the other species of the genus by a longitudinal series of more than 20 transverse cuticular plates below the pharynx and part of the anterior intestine. Interciliary area of the trunk with five columns of smooth more or less rounded quadrangular scales, or rounded equally sized scales. If interciliary scales are of different sizes, those of the medial column are the largest while the scales of the other columns decrease in size towards the ciliary bands. A pair of large keeled terminal scales and several smaller round scales are present ventrally at the posterior end. Ventral ciliation in two separate longitudinal bands. Pharynx gradually widens towards the pharyngeal intestinal junction. The Swedish specimens fall within the ranges of previously reported literature data.
A very common species widely distributed in Europe (see e. g. Marcolongo 1910; Greuter 1917; Remane 1935 – 36; Valkanov 1937; Rudescu 1967; Martin 1981; Schwank 1990; Kisielewski 1998) and also reported from India (Naidu & Rao 2004), Japan (Saito 1937; Sudzuki 1975), Korea (Lee & Chang 2000), Israel (Kisielewski 1999), East Africa (Daday 1910), Canada (Schwank 1990), United States (see e. g. Brunson 1950; Evans 1993) Brazil (Kisielewski 1991), Uruguay (Cordero 1918) and Argentina (Grosso & Drahg 1984).