Sphenoderia minuta, after Deflandre, 1931
Sphenoderia minuta Deflandre, 1931
Diagnosis: Ellipsoidal shell, slightly compressed. Rear part well rounded, sides regularly arched up to the neck which has straight or slightly convex edges, with a straight section. Lateral view broadly pyriform, sides converging rapidly towards the neck, triangular in this lateral view, as in Sphenoderia lenta. Shell composed of small, circular or elliptical scales, imbricated and arranged fairly regularly in 4 or 5 horizontal rows.
Dimensions: Length 28-33 µm; width 20-21 µm; thickness 17-19 µm.
Ecology: Subaerial form, particular to moist sphagnum. Europe.
Sphenoderia minuta, India. Light micrographs of several specimens in different magnifications. (Scale bar: A. 100 µm, B. 50 µm) Courtesy Jasmine Purushothaman, Zoological Survey of India, India.
Sphenoderia minuta, India. SEM: D. S. minuta (i) with S. labiata (ii). (Scale bar: A. 10 µm, B. 10 µm, C. 3 µm, D. 10 µm). Courtesy Jasmine Purushothaman, Zoological Survey of India, India.