Rhinoglena n.sp.2 has been collected from a temporary pond in Hueco Tanks State Historical Park. Whereas other members of the genus Rhinoglena are strictly cold-water inhabitants, Rhinoglena n.sp.2 and R. n.sp.1 occur in warm-water, temporary desert ponds. The type locality is a low lying depression behind a retention dam near Mescalero canyon in the park (El Paso County, TX). This pond is dry many years and only contains water for a short time following seasonal rains. The water temperatures can exceed 30C. Rhinglena n.sp.2 can easily be confused with R. n.sp.1. They differ by the number of nuclei in the vitellarium (10-14 in R. texana n. sp., 6-9 in R. frontalis), and by the shape of their manubria: the anterior lamella is smoothly rounded in R. n.sp.2, this margin is acutely pointed in R. frontalis.
Manuscript in preparation: The genus Rhinoglena (Rotifera, Monogononta, Ephiphanidae) in North America, with the description of two new species. Hendrik SEGER1, and Elizabeth J. WALSH2.
1
Lab. for Animal Ecology, Zoogeography and Nature Conservation
Department Biology, University of Gent
K.L. Ledeganckstraat 35, B - 9000 Gent Belgium
2
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Texas at El Paso
El Paso, TX 79968-0519 USA
