Macrobiotus ariekammensis, Weglarska, 1965

Guil, Noemí, Guidetti, Roberto & Machordom, Annie, 2007, Observations on the ‘‘ tenuis group’ ’ (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotidae) and description of a new Macrobiotus species, Journal of Natural History 41 (41 - 44), pp. 2741-2755 : 2750

Macrobiotus ariekammensis

( Figures 4C , 5B, D )

Characters previously not cited in descriptions of M. ariekammensis and/or M. adelges ( Węglarska 1965; Dastych 1977, 1985) are: cuticular pearls over the entire surface of the animal, larger pearls in anterior (mainly around the mouth opening) and caudal dorsal regions; buccal tube with a clear bend in an anterior position (immediately behind the mouth opening). At this level, the animal has a large dorsal tooth on the internal surface of the buccal tube ( Figure 5B, D ); in lateral view, the ventral portion of the buccal tube is shorter and ends at the level of the stylet sheaths; ventral lamina has a wide ventral crest characterized by two lobes in lateral view ( Figure 5D ). Contrary to that reported by Dastych (1985), the buccal armature contains a posterior band of small teeth (transverse crests absent).

Figures

Figure 4. Claws. (A) Macrobiotus ciprianoi (paratype; third claws); (B) M. willardi (paratype; first claws); (C) M. ariekammensis (second claws); (D) M. hyperonyx (paratype; second claws); (E) M. hystricogenitus (holotype; first claws); (F) M. caelicola (paratype; third claws); (G) M. higginsi (holotype; second claws). (H) M. tenuis (second claws); (I) M. mongolicus (holotype; second claws); (J) M. bondavallii (holotype; second claws). (A, B, D–J) Phase contrast microscopy; (C) differential interference contrast microscopy. Scale bars: 10 mm.

Figure 5. Bucco-pharyngeal apparatus (arrows indicate large dorsal tooth). (A) Macrobiotus hyperonyx, lateral view (paratype); (B) M. ariekammensis, lateral view; (C) M. hyperonyx, dorsal view (paratype); (D) M. ariekammensis, dorsal view; (E, F) M. caelicola (paratypes): (E) dorsal view; (F) lateral view. (A, C) Phase contrast microscopy; (B, D–F) differential interference contrast microscopy. Scale bars: 7 mm.