Echiniscus viridis

Fontoura, Paulo, Pilato, Giovanni & Lisi, Oscar, 2011, Tardigrada from Santo Antão Island (Archipelago of Cape Verde, West Africa) with the description of a new species, Zootaxa 2838, pp. 30-40 : 36

Key to adult specimens of the species of the Echiniscus viridis group

1. Whole body green; median plate 3 absent; the corresponding area may be ornamented or smooth; terminal plate unfaceted; internal claws with a spur............................................................................... 2

- Cephalic portion not green; median plate 3 present; terminal plate faceted; cuticle without dark tubercles, claws without spurs.......................................................................................... E. rufoviridis

2. Plate ornamentation with extremely fine and dense dots and large light patches, but without dark tubercles. Cirrus A long about a third of the body length.................................................................... E. viridissimus

- Plate ornamentation with dark tubercles, very fine and dense dots and very fine light spots........................... 3

3. Area between paired plates III and terminal plate smooth; pointed clavae..................... E. clavispinosus sp. nov.

- Area between paired plates III and terminal plate sculptured; clavae with rounded apices........................... 4

4. Distance between the dark tubercles equal to or greater than the diameter of the tubercles..................... E. viridis

- Distance between the dark tubercles less than the diameter of the tubercles........................................ 5

5. Cirrus A shorter than the scapular plate........................................................... E. viridianus

- Cirrus A clearly longer than the scapular plate...................................................... E. perviridis