Cochliopodium kieliense Kudryavtsev, 2006

Diagnosis: Length in locomotion 9-22 µm (average 13 µm), breadth, 11-30 µm (average, 18 µm), length : breadth ratio 0.44-1.07 (average, 0.72). Oval, triangular, or fan shaped, often with uneven frontal and lateral margins of the hyaloplasm, but usually without subpseudopodia. Trailing filaments often present at the posterior margin. Spherical vesicular nucleus, 3-5 µm in diameter (average 3.5 µm), with central nucleolus, 1-2 µm in diameter (average 1.4 µm). Occasionally up to 5 nuclei. Scales consist of a grid-like base plate 0.65-0.75 µm in diameter, with a loose mesh, 5 stalks attached to the periphery of the base plate and fusing in the center to form a central core ca. 0.065 µm in length, and an apical part in the form of a basket of 5 branching radial spokes attached to the peripheral ring 0.55-0.65 µm in diameter. Height of the scale, 0.42-0.45 µm.

Observed habitats. bottom sediments of the freshwater pond near Biozentrum building at the University of Kiel (Kiel, Northern Germany).

Remarks: In the general pattern of the scale structure C. kieliense is similar to C. spiniferum Kudryavtsev, 2004, Cochliopodium sp. 3 (Bark 1973), and C. maeoticum described here. To the last species, it is also similar in size and in the light-microscopical features of the locomotive form. Differs from all these species in the structure of the apical part of the scale and lack of the apical spine. Similar to C. minutoidum in the size and shape of the locomotive form, but differs from this species in the scale structure and the absence of subpseudopodia in locomotion.