Echiniscus taibaiensis, Wang & Li, 2005

Wang, Lizhi & Li, Xiaochen, 2005, Echiniscus taibaiensis sp. nov. and a new record of Echiniscus bisetosus Heinis (Tardigrada, Echiniscidae) from China, Zootaxa 1092 (1), pp. 39-45 : 40

Echiniscus taibaiensis sp. nov. ( Fig. 1A–B ; Fig. 2A–C , Table 1)

Material examined. Holotype (male) (Slide number MTB0508200), two paratypes (Slide number MTB0508201, female; MTB0508202, female) were collected from Mt. Taibai at 3,590 m a.s.l. (33°57.12' N, 107°45.77' E). The specimens are deposited at the College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, P. R. China.

Description of the holotype (measurements are provided in Table 1). Colour red. Eyespots black. Cephalic appendages include internal buccal cirrus, cephalic papilla, external buccal cirrus, cirrus A, and clava; lateral and dorsal appendages consist of cirrus A, C, D, E, C d and D d. Armour consists of single cephalic plate, scapular plate, first single median plate, first paired­plates, second median plate, second paired­plates, and terminal plate; third median plate absent ( Fig. 1A–B ); sculpture absent on the anterior part of the second median plate; notches absent on terminal plate. Plates decorated with minute, closely spaced polygons and irregular pores ( Fig. 2A ), identical to cuticular sculpture of Echiniscus cheonyoungi Moon & Kim, 1994 ; sculpture on legs absent; dentate collar with 8–9 teeth. Papilla­like projection present on the lateral surface of the fourth pair of legs, spurs absent on all claws of each leg ( Fig. 2B–C ).

Eggs unknown.

Remarks. The paratypes are similar to the holotype with regards to the qualitative characters.

Etymology. This species is named after the type locality, Mt. Taibai.

Differential diagnosis. Echiniscus taibaiensis sp. nov. is similar to E. velaminis Murray in having a similar arrangement of lateral and dorsal appendages and in lacking the third median plate, but it differs from E. velaminis in lacking the spine inserted near the base of cirrus D and in having much shorter dorsal appendages C d and D d ( E. taibaiensis sp. nov.: C d 9.2–12.5µm, D d 10.5–15.7µm; E. velaminis : C d 150µm, D d 110µm (based on drawing from Ramazzotti & Maucci, 1983)). E. velaminis also has notches in the terminal plate, which are lacking in E. taibaiensis sp. nov..

The new species is also similar to E. cheonyoungi Moon & Kim , but it differs from it by lacking both cirrus B and median plate 3. E. cheonyoungi also has "rather shallow" notches in the terminal plate while they are lacking in E. taibaiensis sp. nov..

Figures

FIGURE 1. A–B, habitus of Echiniscus taibaiensis sp. nov. (holotype): (A: PCM). Scale bars = 50 m.

FIGURE 2. A–C, Echiniscus taibaiensis sp. nov.: A, cuticular sculpture (holotype); B, claws on leg(paratype, MTB0508201); C, claws on leg IV (paratype, MTB0508201). Scale bars = 5 m.