Abstract: A new species of Loricifera, Urnaloricus gadi nov. gen. et nov. sp., is described from the Faroe Bank, located Southwest of the Faroe Islands, North Atlantic. The new species does not fit into any known families of Loricifera and therefore it is grouped into a new family Urnaloricidae nov. fam. The new species is characterized by having a very complicated life cycle that involves a large cyst-like mega-larva, two reduced larval instars and the Higgins-larvae eating their maternal stage from within. An adult stage is missing. This form of reproduction is called viviparous pedogenesis and normally is found only in nematodes and insects. In the life cycle of Urnaloricidae nov. fam., there are two types of free-living larval stages: a Higgins-larva and a mega-larva. The latter is found in two different forms, a pre- and a cyst-forming mega-larva. Additionally, there are two reduced life history stages, the reduced larval stage (probably a postlarva) and the ghost-larval stage inside the cyst-forming mega-larva. The external morphology of the two forms of mega-larvae is much reduced, e.g., the introvert has only a few rows of scalids when compared with the Higgins-larva. The pre mega-larva is free-living and can sometimes be covered with coccoliths. Internally, a large ovary with a few oocytes, a digestive system, and an internal armature with retracted scalids are present. The pre mega-larva presumably molts into a cyst-forming mega-larva and thereby the ovary is now seen inside the cyst-forming mega-larva. The cyst-forming mega-larva has the same structures as in the pre mega-larva though here the scalids are protruded and there is a gonopore. Inside the cyst-forming mega-larva the ovary produces more oocytes and begins to fill out the entire lumen. At this stage the cyst-forming mega-larva molts first to the presumed postlarval stage, and then this stage molts to a ghost-larva. Hence, the ovary now matures inside the ghost-larva, which is surrounded by both the cuticle of the reduced postlarval stage and the cuticle of the cyst-forming mega-larva. The oocytes mature into eggs, and then into embryos and finally into Higgins-larvae while reabsorbing all the tissue of their maternal stage, the ghost-larva. During this maturation the cuticle of the cyst-forming mega-larva starts to harden and become cyst-like. The fully developed Higgins-larvae emerge through the gonopore of the cyst-forming mega-larva by penetrating the thin cuticles of the ghost-larva and the postlarva. The embryos have holoblastic radial cleavage and later a fluid-filled blastocoel is formed. The eggshells are extremely elastic; hence, they can become very elongated as the embryos mature into Higgins-larvae. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Abstract: We report a new species of Cambrian Scalidophora, Orstenoloricus shergoldii gen. et sp. nov., represented by 15 apparently larval specimens from Australia. The tubular anterior region bears approximately 10 or 14 sharp accordion-like ring folds that are finely overprinted by a zigzag pattern. The longer posterior region appears more firmly sclerotised, has a vase-shaped body and is composed of 20 longitudinal plates. This design strongly resembles that of the trunk of socalled loricate larvae of extant Vinctiplicata, one of the scalidophoran taxa among cycloneuralian Nemathelminthes, combining Priapulida and Loricifera. The construction and fabric of the annulated region suggest that it was flexible and could be expanded and invaginated. In addition to those striking features, the fossil larvae expose a pair of socket-like structures at the transition between the annulated region and the lorica that originally appear to have given rise to robust spine- or seta-like outgrowths. Priapulid larvae lack such robust spines. Our specimens fall into at least two size classes, indicating the presence of more than a single larval stage. One of the specimens with a small lorica but a very long annulated region bears a second pair of sockets on the same side as the anterior setae or spines and in about the last fifth of the lorica. This set of possibly very robust setae is not found in priapulid larvae, but a similar set is characteristic for the so-called 'Higgins larvae' of Loricifera. Comparisons between the fossils and all available larval types of Scalidophora form the basis of a discussion of the affinities of the fossil larvae with Priapulida and Loricifera. The general design of the annulated region and the lorica and the presence of spines imply a close relationship of the new species with Loricifera. It also implies that the lorica and the multiply folded neck region represent ground-pattern characters of the Vinctiplicata and possibly some other Cambrian taxa. Recent molecular phylogenetic interpretations of the relationships of Loricifera with Nematomorpha heavily affect all in-group relationships within cycloneuralians. These new fossil larvae might therefore stimulate a reconsideration of the morphology and the evolution of characters and structural systems in the discussion of the phylogeny within the Cycloneuralia and also in general. The new taxon adds more to the knowledge of larval and adult Nemathelminthes in the Cambrian, which seem to have been an important faunal component at that time.

Abstract: Two new species of Loricifera, Pliciloricus cavernicola sp. nov. and Australoricus oculatus gen. nov. et sp. nov., have been found in two submarine caves, Jim's Cave and Fish Rock Cave, off the coast of New South Wales, Australia. This is the first discovery of Loricifera from Australia and additionally from marine caves. This paper is the third paper concerning the meiofauna animals from the two caves. Pliciloricus cavernicola sp. nov. is characterized by an adult having a large tripartite mouth cone with six oral stylets; clavoscalids with fine lines; a short, robust double organ; small leg-shaped scalids with three stiff hairs; simple claw-shaped scalids; reduction of trichoscalid basal plates in the first two rows and a midventral plica with three ridges. Australoricus oculatus gen. nov. et sp. nov. is characterized by a Higgins-larva having a pair of pigmented eyes; the 2nd scalid row missing; six smooth and long filiform scalids in the 6th row; six rectangular plates with two teeth in the 7...

Abstract: A newly discovered species of Pliciloricus from the deep sea of the Angola Basin (Namibia, Atlantic) seems to have two types of postlarvae in its life cycle. Type I is a simplified but clearly identifiable postlarval stage, the other type II consists only of a thin layer of cuticle as the remnant of a postlarva. Both types contain adults that have moulted from them. The simplified type I postlarva has a fully developed lorica with an ornamentation identical to that of the adult, but other body regions are reduced with only a few structures left. The discovery of this clearly identifiable postlarva is important, because it supports the conclusion that Pliciloricus-species originally moults from postlarval stages as well as other taxa of Loricifera. Furthermore, it could be concluded that the simple cuticle layer surrounding most adults found during their metamorphosis is the remnant of a postlarval stage. The life cycle of the new species seems to include two phases. After to the bisexual is a unisexual phase, represented by a simplified parthenogenetic adult stage which lacks most parts of the adult morphology. The adults of P. diva sp. n. differ from other species in having among others (1) a mouth cone with four strong cuticular bars plus eight primary oral ridges; (2) leaf-like clavoscalids which are very broad basally and narrow distally, and have more than 22 transverse cross walls; (3) a strongly sclerotized double-organ consisting of four rami; (4) large spinoscalids of second row shorter than clavoscalids, (5) short type B spinoscalids of fourth row with claw-tips and with a double row of five teeth as well as distally with a double row of minute denticles; (6) an anterior margin of the lorica with bicuspid protrusions and specific crescent-shaped ornamentations; (7) a midventral plica with five bar-like transversal strengthened ridges. Distinguishing features of the Higgins-larva are (1) short clavoscalids with broad second segments; (3) a collar with seven flosculi located in small pits; posterolateral setae being short but strong and pod-like. The study also revealed new information about the double-organ of the adult and the buccal structures of the Higgins-larva.

Abstract: A postlarva of Nanaloricidae (Loricifera) was found in the deep sea of the Guinea Basin. This postlarva belongs to a new species, Culexiregiloricus trichiscalida, which also represents a new genus. It inhabits clayish sediments with a high amount of calcitic multi-chambered shells of recent planktonic foraminiferans of 0.25 to 1.5 mm in size. This is the third report of a species of Nanaloricidae from a deep-sea habitat. The postlarva is characterized by a mouth cone divided in a short basal section and being drawn out terminally in to a long and slim mouth tube as second section. It also has distinct filiform and delicate clavoand spinoscalis of the second and third rows all covered with minute trichoids, a lorica divided into eight plates (four broad and four narrow ones, some of which have two to eight transversal undulations) and eight wide intercalary plicae (six broad and two narrow ones, with distinct longitudinal folds), 14 lorica spikes of medium size along anterior rim of lorica. Other characters include eight dorsal papillated flosculi, of which six form clusters of three each on dorsolateral plates, and a caudal end with a broad ventral plate flanked longitudinally by massive elevated cuticular ridges. Together with the three species of the genus Armorloricus and one species of the genus Phoeniciloricus, the new species may form a specific species-group within Nanaloricidae, which is characterized by a long and slim mouth tube as the most obvious character.