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The World of Protozoa, Rotifera, Nematoda and Oligochaeta

Biholosticha

Biholosticha Berger, 2003 (ref. ID; 4927 original paper)

[ref. ID; 4927]
Diagnosis; Urostylid hypotrichs with very narrow buccal field and only 2 frontal cirri. Buccal cirrus lacking. Midventral complex composed of cirral pairs only. Transverse cirri arranged in slightly curved, transverse row. (ref. ID; 4927)
Remarks; Biholosticha comprises only two species which have several interesting features in common strongly indicating that they form a monophyletic group. Interestingly both species assigned are marine. Their inclusion in Holosticha , Anteholosticha , Caudiholosticha , or another group would make these genera unnecessary heterogeneous. Holosticha discocephalus is fixed as type because this species is basically better described than Dragesco's species. (ref. ID; 4927)
Etymology; Composite of the Latin numeral bi- (two) and the genus name Holosticha. It alludes to the two frontal cirri which are likely an apomorphy, and the fact that both species included were previously classified in Holosticha. Like Holosticha, feminine gender. (ref. ID; 4927)
Type species; Biholosticha discocephalus (Kahl, 1932) n. comb. (basionym: Holosticha (Holosticha) discocephalus Kahl, 1932) (ref. ID; 4927)
  1. Biholosticha arenicola (Dragesco, 1963) n. comb. (ref. ID; 4927)
  2. Biholosticha discocephalus (Kahl, 1932) n. comb. (ref. ID; 4927)
    Basionym; Holosticha (Holosticha) discocephalus Kahl, 1932 (ref. ID; 4927)