Stephanoceros Ehrenberg, 1832

Davies, Natalie, Lafleur, Alexandre, Hochberg, Rick, Walsh, Elizabeth J. & Wallace, Robert L., 2024, Key to sessile gnesiotrochan rotifers: Families, monospecific species in Flosculariidae, species of Atrochidae, Conochilidae, and Limnias, Zootaxa 5397 (4), pp. 497-520 : 503

Stephanoceros Ehrenberg, 1832

The etymon of genus (G., stephanos, a crown) is an obvious reference to the shape of the anterior end. We follow Meksuwan et al. (2013) in recognizing two species in this genus, which may be distinguished based mainly on the shape of long lobes that project from their anterior end and the organization of their setae (cf. Koste 1978).

Diagnosis. Infundibulum of five, long, erect tentacles (lobes or arms) forming a basket, with short and long setae throughout the lobes, very long and radiating or set in numerous parallel rows along the length of each appendage. Adults sessile in tube of clear jelly with periodic ring-like constrictions; number of rings increasing with age. Lateral antennae minute. Foot = body length in young, but 2x body length in adult; peduncle short. Oviparous.