Mutaparadoxipus, Gross, Vladimir, Miller, William R. & Hochberg, Rick, 2014

Gross, Vladimir, Miller, William R. & Hochberg, Rick, 2014, A new tardigrade, Mutaparadoxipus duodigifinis gen. nov., sp. nov. (Heterotardigrada: Arthrotardigrada), from the Southeastern United States, Zootaxa 3835 (2), pp. 263-272 : 265

Mutaparadoxipus gen. nov.

Table 1 , Figures 1–3

Diagnosis. Orzeliscinae with adhesive pads of two different lengths; legs I–III: digits I–III with both proximal adhesive pad and distal claw, digit IV with adhesive pad only; legs IV: digits II & III with proximal adhesive pad and distal claw, digits I & IV with adhesive pads only; claws II & III of each foot with single accessory point; complete set of cephalic cirri present; primary clavae and lateral cirri from common base, on a distinct lateral extension; secondary clavae in form of bent sausage-shaped structure lateral to ventral mouth cone; stylets, stylet supports and placoids present; paired seminal receptacles with coiled ducts opening lateral to large gonopore; pointed lateral and caudal alae present.

Type species. Mutaparadoxipus duodigifinis gen. nov., sp. nov.

Etymology. The genus name is derived from mutabilis (Latin), “changeable or inconstant,” referring to the variable foot morphology and from Paradoxipus , referring to its resemblance to Paradoxipus orzeliscoides .

Comparisons. Species of Mutaparadoxipus gen. nov. differ from those of Paradoxipus because species of Paradoxipus have adhesive pads and claws on all digits of all legs and the claws do not have accessory points. Alternatively, species of Mutaparadoxipus gen. nov. lack claws on some of the digits, and the claws on digits II & III bear accessory points. Morphology of legs I–III different from that of leg IV.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mutaparadoxipus duodigifinis gen. nov., sp. nov., female. Illustration: ventral view.

FIGURE 2. Mutaparadoxipus duodigifinis gen. nov., sp. nov. Differential interference contrast optics. A. Anterior region showing full complement of cephalic appendages. Numerals I – IV indicate toes, numbered from anterior to posterior or medial to lateral, depending on the specimen orientation. B. Posterior region. Note that leg IV is turned backwards, as is characteristic of all tardigrades. Scale bars: 10 µm.

FIGURE 3. Mutaparadoxipus duodigifinis gen. nov., sp. nov. A. Anterior region, ventral view. Scanning electron micrograph. Anterior is left. B. Foot of leg I, ventral view. Scanning electron micrograph. Note that each claw can be retracted into a claw sheath. C. Posterior region, ventral view. Differential interference contrast optics. Posterior is down. Scale bars: A and C, 10 µm; B, 2 µm.