Identification key to the genus Acaudina

1. Presence of doughnut-shaped bodies….................................................................... 2

- Absence of doughnut-shaped bodies….................................................................... 5

2. Doughnut-shaped bodies spinose........................................................ … A. spinifera sp. nov.

- Doughnut-shaped bodies smooth…....................................................................... 3

3. Perforated plates either spinose or smooth….................................................... A. molpadioides

- Perforated plates always smooth…....................................................................... 4

4. Rod ossicles may have branched ends…........................................................... A. punctata

- Rod ossicles without branched ends….......................................................... A. leucoprocta

5. Ossicles absent…............................................................................ A. pellucida

- Ossicles present.................................................................................... …6

6. Rosette present in body wall….................................................................... A. rosettis

- Rosette absent in body wall…........................................................................... 7

7. Spinose subspherical ossicles present in body wall…................................................. A. demissa

- Spinose subspherical ossicles absent in body wall….......................................................... 8

8. Rod ossicles dominant in body wall; may be smooth or spinose........................................ … A. bacilla

- Spinose perforated plates dominant in body wall; rod ossicles always finely spinose…...................... A. suspecta