Rugiloricus Bacatussp. Nov. (loricifera ‐pliciloricidae) and a Ghost‐larva with Paedogenetic Reproduction

A new species of Loricifera, Rugiloricus bacatus sp. nov. is described together with the diagnoses of two other Rugiloricus species, Rugiloricus sp. nov. A and B, from the Faroe Bank (North Atlantic). Characteristic for all three species is the presence of a new type of reduced larva, a ghost-larva. This type of reduced larva was discovered in 1986 by Jeanne Renaud-Mornant, but it was with the Faroe Bank material that it was first discovered that the ghost-larvae belonged to the phylum Loricifera. The ghost-larvae are either found inside late instar Higgins-larvae, called penultimate Higgins-larvae, or in the sediment. The three types of Higgins-larvae from the Faroe Bank can be distinguished by characters such as anterior setae, posterior setae and toes. The adults of Rugiloricus bacatus sp. nov. are characterised by a prominent ruff resembling a pearl necklace; two of the eight clavoscalids are modified in the 1st row; the 2nd row of leg-shaped scalids are very large and, robust, and the 9(th) row with 30 beak-like scalids alternating with 30 alternating plates. The postlarvae are free-living and their scalids on the introvert are reduced to protoscalids. Postlarvae and adult stages have not been found for Rugiloricus sp. nov. A and B and therefore only diagnoses of these two species are presented here.