Pseudechiniscus cf. papillosus Li, Wang, Liu & Su, 2005

Beasley, Clark W. & Miller, William R., 2012, Additional Tardigrada from Hubei Province, China, with the description of Doryphoribius barbarae sp. nov. (Eutardigrada: Parachela: Hypsibiidae), Zootaxa 3170, pp. 55-63 : 56-58

Pseudechiniscus cf. papillosus Li, Wang, Liu & Su, 2005

FIGURES 1 A–F

Material examined. Eleven specimens were found in a moss sample from Site 3.

Remarks. This is the second report of this species, the original description from Shaanxi Province ( Li et al. 2005). The specimens from this study possessed a pair of pointed lobes on the posterior margin of the pseudosegmental plate ( Fig. 1 A) and, as reported by Li et al. (2005), the cephalic papillae were short and broad ( Fig. 1 B, C). The Hubei specimens closely conform to the species description, but with the following differences: neck plate was present between the cephalic and scapular plates ( Fig. 1 B); the type specimens all had relatively short cirrus A, ranging from 28.7 to 36.5 µm, while the Hubei specimens showed more variation in cirrus A (a range of 28.7–70.3 µm for eight specimens, with an average of 53.4 µm); the original description stated spurs were absent on all claws, but a small, short, slender spur, usually perpendicular to the axis of the claw, was visible on the external claws of leg IV for some of the Hubei specimens ( Fig. 1 D); leg IV dentate collar consists of a single broad tooth on the dorsal surface ( Fig. 1 E); a spine on the front legs is not mentioned in the original description but a small spine (2.7–3.1 µm) was present in the Hubei specimens ( Fig. 1 F).

Figures

FIGURE 1. Pseudechiniscus papillosus. A, habitus with pseudosegmental lobes visible; B, anterior of body with neck plate visible; C, cephalic papilla between buccal cirri; D, slender spur (arrow) on external claw of leg IV; E, dentate collar of leg IV composed of a single, wide point (arrow); F, spine on leg I. Scale line A, 20 µm; other scale lines 10 µm.