Echiniscus barbarae, Kaczmarek, Ukasz & Michalczyk, Ukasz, 2002

Kaczmarek, Ukasz & Michalczyk, Ukasz, 2002, Echiniscus barbarae, a new species of tardigrade from Cuba Island (Tardigrada: Heterotardigrada, Echiniscidae, ‘ arctomys group’), Zootaxa 53, pp. 1-4 : 2

Echiniscus barbarae sp. nov.

( Figs 1­5 )

Description

Holotype ( Fig. 3­5 ): Male. Length 190 µm. Colour red. Eye spots absent. Cuticle without pores. Apart from head appendages, only lateral appendages “A” present. Dorsal plates well developed and covered with round, well visible granules ( Fig. 3 ). Granules variable in size (1­3 µm in diameter), larger on scapular and on terminal plates, especially in middle. Paired plates divided into two unequal portions by a transverse stripe of smaller granules (1 µm in diameter). Anterio­lateral parts of paired plates with small but distinct, unornamented region. Median plates 1 and 2 well developed. Median plate 3 absent but area between paired plates 2 and terminal plate with granules. Terminal plate with a pair of large (15 µm long) incisions.

Appendages “A” 28 µm long (14.7% of the body length). Length of cirrus internus and externus: 12 and 14 µm, respectively. Cephalic papilla 5 µm long and 4 µm wide at base. Clava 5 µm long and 2,5 µm wide at base. Small spines (3 µm long) present on first pair of legs; papilla on hind legs 5 µm long and 3 µm wide at base. On hind legs a dentate fringe with 11 small teeth present; area above this fringe granulated. Claws of IV pair of legs 17 µm long ( Fig. 4­5 ). Spurs (2 µm long) present on internal claws of all legs.

Two paratypes are shown: scanning electron ( Fig. 1 ) and phase contrast ( Fig. 2 ) micrographs.

The results of simple statistical analysis for 15 specimens (12 females and 3 males) of E. barbarae sp. nov. are shown in Tab. 1 .

Type locality

Cuba Island; Sierra de Organo; V. 2001; leg. B. Kaczmarek; moss from rock in the “Indian Cave”.

Etymology

We take great pleasure in dedicating this species in honor of the eminent Polish tardigradologist, Prof. Barbara Wêglarska of Jagiellonian University.

Material examined

The holotype and 5 paratypes are preserved at the Department of Entomology, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland; 7 paratypes are preserved at the Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Poznañ, Poland; 2 paratypes are preserved in the collection of Binda and Pilato (Department of Animal Biology, University of Catania, Italy).

Figures

FIGURES 1 ­ 5. Echiniscus barbarae sp. nov. 1, Scanning electron micrograph, dorsal view (a paratype); 2, Phase contrast micrograph, dorsal view (a paratype); 3 ­ 5, Holotype: 3, Dorso­lateral view; 4, External claw of IV pair of legs; 5, Internal claw of IV pair of legs (3 ­ 5 drawn from phase contrast microscope).