Echiniscus diploglyptus Durante Pasa & Maucci, 1975

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 : 17

8. Echiniscus diploglyptus Durante Pasa & Maucci, 1975

Locus typicus: ca. 45°07’N, 13°50’E: Croatia, Istria, Kanfanar .

Etymology: From Latin Ancient Greek ΔΙπλόΟς (diplóos) = twofold + γλυπτός (glyptos) = sculptured, referring to the complexity of dorsal armour sculpturing. An adjective in nominative singular.

Shortened description: Medium-sized (280 μm). Body appendage configuration A-C-Dd, where C is cirrous and Dd –spiniform. Dorsal plate sculpturing comprises two very different types of ornamentation: (1) pores/pseudopores in the cephalic, scapular and caudal (terminal) plates, and (2) large endocuticular pillars protruding to epicuticle as granules connected by striae in the paired segmental and median plates. Lacking dentate collar IV, a crenate fringe present instead. Claws elongated, lacking primary spurs. Secondary spurs present on claws I–III, and both secondary and tertiary spurs present on claws IV.

Remarks: This phenotypically odd species was described on the basis of the holotype. Our resampling of the type locality was unsuccessful.