Tardigrades from the Tsinling Mountains, central China with descriptions of two new species of Echiniscidae (Tardigrada)
Author
Li, Xiaochen
text
Journal of Natural History
2007
2010-12-02
41
41 - 44
2719
2739
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222930701711046
journal article
10.1080/00222930701711046
1464-5262
5233488
Echiniscus marleyi
sp. n.
(
Figures 1
,
2
; Table II)
Material examined
Holotype
(adult female; slide no.
MT0610009
),
seven paratypes
(
six adult
females and
one adult
male; slide nos
MT0610001
–
MT0610006
,
MT0610008
) were collected from
Mount Taibai
(33
°
5922.010N, 107
°
45944.300E) at
3700 m
above sea level
.
The
specimens are deposited at the
College of Life Sciences
,
Shaanxi
Normal University, P.
R
.
China
.
Description of the
holotype
Measurements are provided in Table II. Colour red. Eyed. Cuticular sculpture composed of many small round or polygonal projections (see
Figure 1a
). The biggest granule with a diameter of
1.8 mm
. Ventral side smooth except the area beside the gonopore with many small pores. Cephalic appendages include internal buccal cirrus, cephalic papilla, external buccal cirrus, cirrus A, and clava; lateral and dorsal appendages consist of filaments D, C
d
and spine D
d
. Armour consists of single cephalic plate, scapular plate, first single median plate, first paired-plates, second median plate, second paired-plates, and terminal plate; third median plate absent, terminal plate with normal notches; two paired-plates with smooth bands. The fourth pair of legs with dentate collar containing six or seven teeth. Papilla-like projection present on the lateral surface of the fourth pair of legs, teeth present on the first pair of legs. Lateral side of each leg with many small granules (see
Figures 1a, b
,
2a
). Spurs that pointed towards the base of the claw present on the internal two claws on all legs; three short teeth present on the external claws near the base on hind legs, a small tooth also present on the external claws near the base on third pair of legs (see
Figure 2b, c
).
Figure 1.
Echiniscus marleyi
sp. n.
(a) Habitus in dorsal view (holotype) focused to show the sculpture and plates; (b) habitus (holotype) focused to show claws. Scale bars: 50 mm.
Eggs smooth,
98.9 mm
long,
83.2 mm
wide. Laid in exuviae.
Etymology
This species is dedicated to Mr Nigel Marley, School of Biological Sciences, University of
Plymouth
,
UK
.
Figure 2.
Echiniscus marleyi
sp. n.
(a) Habitus (holotype); (b) claws on first pair of legs; (c) claws on fourth pair of legs. Scale bars: 50 mm (a); 10 mm (b, c).
Table II. Dimensions (in mm) of
Echiniscus marleyi
sp. n.
| Structure |
Holo. |
Par. 1 |
Par. 2 |
Par. 3 |
Par. 4 |
Par. 5 |
Par. 6 |
Par. 7 |
| Body length |
310.0 |
330 |
340.0 |
350.0 |
380.0 |
330.0 |
340.0 |
370.0 |
| Interal buccal cirrus |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
13.0 |
| External buccal cirrus |
23.4 |
13.0 |
15.6 |
13.0 |
15.6 |
18.2 |
15.6 |
26.0 |
| Cephalic papilla |
9.1 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
| Cirrus A |
59.8 |
46.8 |
49.4 |
52.0 |
52.0 |
52.0 |
49.4 |
72.8 |
| Clava |
7.8 |
10.4 |
7.8 |
7.8 |
10.4 |
7.8 |
10.4 |
10.4 |
| C d |
122.2 |
117 |
130.0 |
88.4 |
130 |
111.8 |
98.8 |
143.0 |
| D d |
20.8 |
13.0 |
18.2 |
15.6 |
18.2 |
15.6 |
18.2 |
18.2 |
| Cirrus D |
130.0 |
49.4 |
91 |
91.0 |
96.2 |
85.8 |
91.0 |
91.0 |
| Claws on the 1st pair of legs |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
| Claws on the 2nd pair of legs |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
20.8 |
| Claws on the 3rd pair of legs |
22.1 |
22.1 |
23.4 |
23.4 |
23.4 |
20.8 |
22.1 |
23.4 |
| Claws on the 4th pair of legs |
23.4 |
26.0 |
24.7 |
24.7 |
26.0 |
23.4 |
24.7 |
26.0 |
Par., paratype; Holo., holotype.
Remarks
This new species differs from
E. canadensis
Murray
in having filaments D; it differs from
E. mediantus
Marcus
in lacking filaments C but in having filaments D; it differs from
E
.
spinulosus
(Doyère)
in lacking teeth B, C, E, and in having filaments D instead of teeth D.