Macrobiotus kovalevi, a new species of Tardigrada from New Zealand (Eutadigrada, Macrobiotidae)
Author
Tumanov, D. V.
text
Zootaxa
2004
2004-01-16
406
1
1
8
https://biotaxa.org/Zootaxa/article/view/zootaxa.406.1.1
journal article
4907
10.11646/zootaxa.406.1.1
7e0cf09d-eb93-4af1-90a4-4f923d81c94e
11755334
5027792
C4716101-0353-4193-B120-BCECF4B40AB4
Macrobiotus kovalevi
sp. n.
Figs. 1–16
,
Tab. 1
Holotype
.
Adult
male, slide number 60(4). Collected by
Dr. O.
V
.
Kovalev
(
Zoological Institute
of the
Russian Academy of Sciences
, St.Petersburg)
13.02.1992
,
New Zealand
.
Paratypes
: slide numbers 60(2), 60(3), 60(5), 60(14), 60(17), 60(22), 60(23), 60(26), 60(27) from the same locality.
Holotype
and
paratypes
are preserved at the
Zoological Institute
of the
Russian Academy of Sciences
,
St. Petersburg
,
Russia
.
Other
paratypes
are preserved in the collection of
Binda
and
Pilato
(
Department of Animal Biology
,
University of Catania
,
Italy
.
Type locality.
New Zealand
, South Island, vicinity of Karamea,
Podocarpus
forest, moss from tree. Fortyfour adult and juveniles and
27 eggs
(3 with developed embryos) were found together with specimens of
Macrobiotus
cf.
coronatus
and
Calcarobiotus
(
Discrepunguis
)
sp.
Etymology.
this species is dedicated to Dr. O. V. Kovalev, who kindly collected the material for me in
New Zealand
.
Diagnosis.
Smooth cuticle with no pores and granulation on all legs; buccal armature with very short medial ridges dorsally and ventrally; three elongated macroplacoids (third is the longest) and a distinct microplacoid; claws of moderate length with long accessory spines and smooth lunules.
Description.
Body length of adult animals 232.8–419.0 m. Body white, often with yellowbrown material in midgut. Eye spots present in most specimens. Cuticle smooth without pores and granulation on legs. Buccal cavity lacking teeth in anterior and posterior positions. Transverse ridge system consisting of two laterodorsal ridges, two lateroventral ridges, short mediodorsal ridge and triangular medioventral granule (
Figs. 3, 4
,
9, 10
). Some specimens with wide triangular structures in caudal portion of buccal cavity in front of ventral transverse ridges. Buccal tube narrow with typical strengthening bar (
Figs. 2
,
12, 14
). Pharyngeal bulb oval with apophyses, three macroplacoids and large microplacoid (for all dimensions see
Table 1
). Claws of
hufelandi
type
(
Figs. 5, 6
,
13
) with minute stalk, evident distal part of the basal portion and relatively long common tract (terms according to
Guidetti & Bertolani, 2001
). Primary and secondary branches diverge slightly below half of claw's height, main branches with large accessory points. Claws of fourth pair of legs longer than claws of first three pairs of legs. All claws with smooth lunules, which are slightly larger on claws of fourth pairs of legs. Some specimens with very thin and indistinct cuticular thickening near claw bases of first three pairs of legs.
FIGURES 1–8
.
Macrobiotus kovalevi
sp. nov.
1—habitus, 2—buccopharyngeal apparatus, ventral, 3—buccal armature, dorsal, 4—buccal armature, ventral, 5—claws of the II pair of legs, 6— claws of the IV pair of legs, 7—part of the egg surface, 8—different forms of egg processes (3, 4— holotype; 1, 2, 5, 6—paratypes).
Eggs spherical, white, ornamented and laid freely (
Figs. 7, 8
,
14–16
). Chorion with long conical processes. Surface of processes not areolated but covered with irregularly distributed minute spines. Tops of some processes slightly bifurcated. Egg surface between processes covered with reticulation which consists of irregularly distributed polygonal meshes (nearly
1 m
in diameter). About 25 processes around circumference of egg. Diameter of eggs (without processes):
86–95 m
; height of processes:
12–17 m
, their basal diameter: 6.5–9.0 m.
Remarks.
The structure of the buccopharyngeal apparatus in
Macrobiotus kovalevi
is similar to that found in members of
harmsworthi
and
furcigerorcadensis
groups of the genus
Macrobiotus
. It is easily distinguished from all known species of these groups by the structure of the buccal armature (very short mediodorsal ridge and the absence of typically developed teeth) and unique structure of the egg chorion.