Lepidochaetus aff. zelinkai ( Grünspan, 1908 )

Lepidochaetus aff. zelinkai ( Grünspan, 1908) View in CoL

Fig. 2G–J View Figure 2

Locality: PT09, 10 (Fig. 1).

Examined Material: 6 specimens TL 125–271Μm; FL 9–17 Μm; AL 25–64Μm; PhL 30–61 Μm; MD 8–14 Μm; DR 19–37; TSl 4–14 Μm; TSw 4–11Μm; TSp 11–27Μm; DC 7–11; DSL 6–17 Μm .

Remarks: Long and slender body, with three-lobed head followed by subtle neck constriction. Anterior dorsal head completely covered by very large cephalion and conspicuous dorsolateral epipleura and ventrolateral hypopleura. The dorsal trunk is covered by overlapping dorsal scales with a transversal rod shaped sub-rectangular anterior edge, followed by a distinct constriction, and rounded posterior portion with medial v-shaped indentation (“scallop shell-shaped”), bearing a thin long simple spine. Dorsal posterior trunk with scales progressively increasing in length, and three pairs of lateral scales at the posterior trunk, with long, thick, straight, and finely barbed spines, overshooting the furcal branches. The ventral interciliary area is covered by oval scales from hypostomium to posterior end, which is covered by larger scales with longer spines. The specimens feature the characteristic cuticular ornamentation of members of the genus Lepidochaetus , with spines of dorsal posterior trunk scales progressively increasing in length, with special proximity to Lepidochaetus zelinkai (Grüspan, 1908) , but the presence of morphological specificities such as the presence of a one-of-a-kind “scallop shell-shaped” scale the potential of being an undescribed species, but due to the lack of sufficient material to support a taxonomic act, they are presented as affinities.

Distribution: Brazil: Delmiro Gouveia (AL) (present study)