Echiniscus azoricus Fontoura et al., 2008

Gąsiorek, Piotr & Vončina, Katarzyna, 2023, Atlas of the Echiniscidae (Heterotardigrada) of the World-part I: West Palaearctic Echiniscus species, Zootaxa 5344 (1), pp. 1-72 : 11

2. Echiniscus azoricus Fontoura et al., 2008

Figures 3 , 37

Locus typicus: Portugal, the Azores, Pico Island, Terras do Pico.

Additional localities: (1) 32°49’22”N, 16°59’06”W, 319 m asl: Portugal, Madeira, Ponta Delgada ( Gąsiorek et al. 2019b); (2) 32°48’37”N, 17°08’39”W, 1128 m asl: Portugal, Madeira, Fanal, mosses and lichens in laurel forest, Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik coll. on 18 th September 2021 (3 ♀♀); (3) 32°45’13”N, 17°01’07”W, 992 m asl: Portugal, Madeira, Encumeada, Levada do Norte, mosses and lichens in laurel forest, Dorota Lachowska-Cierlik coll. on 19 th September 2021 (2 ♀♀); (4) 38°47’15’’N, 9°23’22’’W, 487 m asl: Portugal, Sintra, Palácio Nacional da Pena, Estrada da Pena, moss from soil in gardens, Agata Gąsiorek coll. on 1 st August 2016 (1 ♀).

Etymology: Referring to the terra typica of the species. An adjective in nominative singular.

Shortened description: Small (<200 μm, Fig. 3A ). Body appendage configuration A-B-C-Cd- D-Dd- E, all formed as spines of similar length. Dorsal plate sculpturing comprises densely arranged endocuticular pillars protruding to epicuticle as large granules; pillars interconnected via striae of varying thickness, pseudopores present between them (the merokensis type of sculpturing, Figs 3B–C ). Dentate collar IV with numerous (usually more than 10) short irregular teeth ( Fig. 3A ). Claws relatively short and with thin, delicate primary spurs ( Fig. 3D ).

Phylogenetic position: The species is firmly located within the merokensis group of species, being sister to the clade E. merokensis + E. pellucidus Gąsiorek et al., 2021 (in Gąsiorek et al., 2021d) (Figs 1–2).

Remarks: It is most probable that the species is endemic to the westernmost part of the Palaearctic region, with several records from Macaronesia (the Azores, Madeira) and the Iberian Peninsula (mainland Portugal), in the case of the latter it is difficult to assess at present whether E. azoricus is ecdemic and human-introduced there. As underlined in the original description ( Fontoura et al. 2008), the intraspecific variability is low, and the species is easily distinguishable from the remaining echiniscids found within its geographic range, including co-occurring E. merokensis .

Figures

FIGURE 3. Echiniscus azoricus from Madeira (PCM): A—female in dorsal view, B—close-up on paired segmental plate II, C—close-up on median plate 2, D—claws I and spine I. Scale bars in μm.

FIGURE 37. Records of E. azoricus (yellow circles) and E. lapponicus (red circles) from Europe and Macaronesia.