Styraconyx qivitoq Kristensen & Higgins, 1984

Trokhymchuk, Roman, Schmidt-Rhaesa, Andreas, Utevsky, Serge, Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg & Kieneke, Alexander, 2024, Towards a better understanding of deep-sea tardigrade biogeography: numerous new records from the Southern Ocean, Zootaxa 5543 (1), pp. 1-39 : 21

Styraconyx qivitoq Kristensen & Higgins, 1984

N= 13 specimens: 13 males occurrence: ANDEEP-SYSTCO; 1,927–1,960 m bsl.

Figs 10A–E ; Supplementary Table 1.10

Short description

We observed only dwarf males (72–108 µm long) unique for this species. Ovoid primary clavae and long cephalic cirri present ( Fig. 10A ). Secondary clavae are present ( Fig. 10B ). Neck region with folded cuticle ( Fig. 10C ). All digits are covered with a cuticular hood. Peduncles are large ( Fig. 10D ). Inconspicuous tubular-shape male gonopore is present ( Fig. 10E ).

Remarks

All the described characters are species-specific and correspond well to the original description ( Kristensen & Higgins, 1984), so the identification is sound.

Figures

FIGURE 10. Genus Styraconyx. A Styraconyx qivitoq, male, light microscopy (DIC), dorsal view. B Styraconyx qivitoq, male, light microscopy (DIC), head, dorsal view, note secondary clava (arrowhead). C Styraconyx qivitoq, male, light microscopy (DIC), head, ventral view, note neck folds (arrowhead). D Styraconyx qivitoq, male, light microscopy (DIC), leg III, note digit covered with a cuticle hood (arrowhead). E Styraconyx qivitoq, male, light microscopy (DIC), caudal region, note male gonopore (arrowhead). F Styraconyx takeshii, female, light microscopy (DIC), sagittal view, note undulated dorsal cuticle (arrowhead). G Styraconyx takeshii, female, light microscopy (DIC), sagittal view. H Styraconyx takeshii, female, light microscopy (DIC), sagittal view. I Styraconyx takeshii, female, light microscopy (DIC), sagittal view. Abbreviations: cA—cirrus A, cE—cirrus E, ec—external cirrus, go—gonopore, ic—internal cirrus, mc—median cirrus, pc—primary clava, pe—peduncle, pp—proximal pad, se—leg sensory organ, sro—seminal receptacle opening.