ECHINISCOIDINAE MØBJERG, KRISTENSEN & JØRGENSEN, 2016

Møbjerg, Nadja, Jørgensen, Aslak & Kristensen, Reinhardt M., 2020, Ongoing revision of Echiniscoididae (Heterotardigrada: Echiniscoidea), with the description of a new interstitial species and genus with unique anal structures, Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society 188 (3), pp. 663-680 : 668

SUBFAMILY ECHINISCOIDINAE MØBJERG, KRISTENSEN & JØRGENSEN, 2016

Diagnosis (amended): Unplated, marine Echiniscoidea . Adults with supernumerary anisonych claws on each leg. Secondary clava (papilla cephalica) dome shaped or almost flat (indistinct). Other cephalic appendages and leg appendages small (reduced). Cirri Aand Esimilar in both structure and length. First leg sensory structure absent or small and dome shaped; a seta may be present on the second leg. The third leg sensory structure is a pointed papilla or seta. The fourth leg sensory structure is papillar, as is the primary clava. Epicuticular pillars are absent. Seminal receptacles are lacking. Fertilization of eggs is external. The anal system is relatively large and can be seen from the dorsal side as two large, nearly terminal lateral lobes. The terminal anal lobe is relatively small.