Type locality: Netzschkauer Schachtteich, near the Chaussee Merseburg, Lauchstädt, Germany. Cosmopolitan.
Perennial. Food: detritus, bacteria, algae, decomposing microcrustaceans and macroinvertebrates.
In alkaline to slightly acid waters, in submerged mosses and among decomposing macrophytes.
Body roughly cylindrical to fusifonn, elongate, slender; cuticle soft, flexible, outline variable; colourless, hyaline. Head and neck offset by transverse folds. Trunk with pseudosegments, usually with dorsal, longitudinal folds. Tailless distinct. Foot short, ~ 1/8 total length, broad, 2 pseudosegments; small rounded knob projecting dorsally between toes. Toes short, conical, tips ± abruptly reduced to acute points. Corona slightly oblique, laterally 2 strongly ciliated auricle-like tufts. Brain large, saccate. Eyespot small, disc-shaped, red, on brain. Eyespot and hemispherical retrocerebral sac displaced to right. Stomach and intestine separated by marked constriction. Gastric glands globular, elongate or slightly 3-lobate. Pedal glands variable, elongate, pyriform, foot length, with mucus reservoir. Subitaneous egg elongate oval.
Trophi virgate. Rami truncate triangular in dorsal view, with plate oriented towards median plane of incus; tips with 2 blunt teeth; inner margins with shallow indentations anteriorly and large, 1-2-pointed tooth medially; basal apophyses large, ± hemispherical with broad, short projection; dorsal fenestrae central. Fulcrum with mid-ventral crest, in ventral view gradually expanding towards ± broad, fan-shaped, scalloped end; in lateral view with broad base, tapering, posterior end slightly expanded. Unci with 4-7 acute teeth, gradually decreasing in size, principal teeth bifurcate; inner side with plate covered by skleropili near anterior nlargin. Manubria with short posterior and long, broad anterior cavity almost extending till slightly curved manubrium end; posterior cavity with opening on ventral margin; epipharynx asymmetrical, irregular, club-shaped pieces.
Length 200-320 µm; toe·9-15 µm; subitaneous egg 56-69x30-36 µm; trophi 25-28 µm: ramus 9-12 µm , fulcrum 6-11 µm, uncus 9-17 µm, manubrium 17-22 µm, epipharyngeal element 6-11 µm.
