Pseudechiniscus pilatoi, Li, 2007

Li, Xiaochen, 2007, Tardigrades from the Tsinling Mountains, central China with descriptions of two new species of Echiniscidae (Tardigrada), Journal of Natural History 41 (41 - 44), pp. 2719-2739 : 2726-2729

Pseudechiniscus pilatoi sp. n.

( Figures 3 , 4 ; Table III)

Material examined

Holotype (adult; slide no. XYB0608087 ), two paratypes (adult; slide nos XYB0608086 , XYB0608088 ) were collected from Ningshan County, Tsinling Mountains , Shaanxi Province, China (33 ° 32934.080N, 108 ° 32915.110E) at 1500 m above sea level. The specimens are deposited at the College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, P. R. China.

Diagnosis

Small in size. Colour red. Eyespots not detected. Head with normal appendages except clava rather long. Dorsal plates and areas between dorsal plates covered with sculpture composed of densely distributed granules, connected by lines so as to form a reticular design. Cephalic plate faceted; armour consists of single cephalic plate, scapular plate, first single median plate crescent-shaped, first paired-plates, second single median plate, second paired-plates, third single median plate, pseudosegmental plate subdivided along the mid-sagittal plane of the body and with a single lobe on the posterior edge along the dorsal median line; this lobe triangle-shaped, uplifted and protruded backward; terminal plate without notches. All median plates undivided and somewhat poorly developed. The joints of paired-plates, near the dorsal median line, uplifted but not protruded backward. A papilla present on the external side of the fourth pair of legs near their bases, spurs absent on all claws.

Description

Small in size (see Table III). Colour red. Eyespots not detected. Cephalic appendages include internal buccal cirrus, cephalic papilla short and wide, external buccal cirrus, cirrus A, and clava rather long. No other appendages present. Dorsal plates and areas between dorsal plates covered with sculpture very similar to Echiniscus elegans Richters ( Ramazzotti and Maucci 1983) , that is, the sculpture composed of densely distributed granules, connected by lines so as to form a reticular design with the granule located at the crossing of lines (see Figure 3b ). Cephalic plate faceted; armour consists of single cephalic plate, scapular plate, first single median plate crescent-shaped, first paired-plates, second single median plate, second paired-plates, third single median plate, pseudosegmental plate subdivided along the mid-sagittal plane of the body, the pseudosegmental plate with a single lobe on the posterior edge along the dorsal median line, the lobe triangle-shaped, uplifted (very remarkable when observed in profile) and protruded backward, the point that directed backward round; terminal plate without notches; scapular plate transversely divided into an anterior part and posterior part. All median plates undivided and somewhat poorly developed. The joints of paired-plates, near the dorsal median line, uplifted but not protruded backward (see Figures 3a , 4a ).

Legs normal length (see Table III); a papilla present on the external side of the fourth pair of legs near their bases; dentate collar absent; claws normally curved distally, without spurs near the bases on each leg (see Figures 3c, d , 4b, c ).

Eggs unknown.

Etymology

This species is dedicated to Dr Giovanni Pilato, professor at Dipartimento di Biologia Animale ‘‘Marcello La Greca’’ dell’Universita`, Catania, Italy.

Remarks

This new species is similar to Pseudechiniscus quadrilobatus Iharos, 1969 . It differs from P. quadrilobatus in a different cuticular sculpture on dorsal plates, in the joints of paired-plates, near the dorsal median line, uplifting but not protruding backward, and in lacking notches on terminal plate.

Figures

Figure 3. Pseudechiniscus pilatoi sp. n. (a) Habitus in dorsal view (holotype, slightly damaged on the right side); (b) cuticular sculpture on dorsal plates (holotype); (c) claws on third pair of legs (paratype, slide no. XYB0608088); (d) claws on fourth pair of legs (paratype, slide no. XYB0608088). Scale bars: 30 mm (a); 10 mm (b); 5 mm (c, d).

Figure 4. Pseudechiniscus pilatoi sp. n. (a) Habitus in dorsal view (holotype); (b) claws on third pair of legs (paratype, slide no. XYB0608088); (c) claws on fourth pair of legs (paratype, slide no. XYB0608088). Scale bars: 30 mm (a); 5 mm (b, c).