Pseudechiniscus asper Abe, Utsugi & Takeda, 1998

Li, Xiaochen, Wang, Lizhi, Liu, Ying & Su, Lina, 2005, A new species and five new records of the family Echiniscidae (Tardigrada) from China, Zootaxa 1093 (1), pp. 25-33 : 28

Pseudechiniscus asper Abe, Utsugi & Takeda, 1998 ( Fig. 2C )

Material examined: Four specimens were collected from Mount Taibai.

Description: Small in size. Dorsal plates decorated with granulation. Scapular plate and segmental paired­plates I and II each with segmental lateral plates. Two transversely expanded lobes present on the posterior edge of pseudosegmental plate. Spurs present on the middle two claws.

Remarks: The specimens from Mount Taibai differ from the holotype of this species from Japan by the shape of the lobes on pseudosegmental plate. The paired­lobes on pseudosegmental plate in our specimens are remarkably expanded transversely, and the posterior edges of the lobes are quite smooth without any pointed structure. However, the lobes on the pseudosegmental plate in the specimens from Japan are roundly triangular, tipped with papillate projection. The type locality of this species is Hokkaido, Japan ( Abe et al., 1998). Mount Taibai is the second locality of this species since it was described.

Figures

FIGURE 2. A, habitus of Echiniscus nepalensis; B, habitus of E. trisetosus; C, habitus of Pseudechiniscus asper (A–C: phase contrast). Scale bars = 50 m.