Echiniscus merokensis Richters 1904

Guil, Noemí, 2008, New records and within-species variability of Iberian tardigrades (Tardigrada), with comments on the species from the Echiniscus blumi-canadensis series, Zootaxa 1757, pp. 1-30 : 13

Echiniscus merokensis Richters 1904

A total of 679 specimens were recorded from LF, MR, LR, MT and LT samples. I identified both Echiniscus merokensis merokensis Richters 1904 (with the typical morphotype: lateral filaments at positions C, D and E and dorsal spines at C and D; Fig. 5A ) and Echiniscus merokensis suecica Thulin 1911 (with the typical morphotype: lateral filaments at positions B, C, D and E and dorsal spines at C and D; Fig. 5B ). These two morphotypes appeared mixed in the same samples, but alone too. Additionally, I found a great variety within each morphotype of Echiniscus merokensis ( Figs. 5A and 5B , respectively). Body size range of Echiniscus merokensis merokensis was 198 to 638 μm, mean 361 μm (SD 63), while for Echiniscus merokensis suecica body size ranged from 198 to 693 μm, mean 356 μm (SD 91). Echiniscus merokensis has been cited for Europe, Asia, Africa and America. In the Iberian Peninsula, Echiniscus merokensis merokensis has been recorded for Portugal ( Da Cunha 1944a; Fontoura 1981, 1982; Maucci & Durante Pasa 1984, 1985) and Spain ( Maucci & Durante Pasa 1984). Echiniscus merokensis appeared at 20 sampling points (Table 3).

Figures

FIGURE 5 A. Morphological variability found in Echiniscus merokensis. Percentages are provided for each morphotype. Arrows indicate missing appendages. (A) Echiniscus merokensis merokensis.

FIGURE 5 B. Morphological variability found in Echiniscus merokensis. Percentages are provided for each morphotype. Arrows indicate missing appendages. (B) Echiniscus merokensis suecica.