ECHINISCOIDIDAE Kristensen & Hallas, 1980

Fontoura, Paulo, Bartels, Paul J., Jørgensen, Aslak, Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg & Hansen, Jesper Guldberg, 2017, A dichotomous key to the genera of the Marine Heterotardigrades (Tardigrada), Zootaxa 4294 (1), pp. 1-45 : 38

2.1 ECHINISCOIDIDAE Kristensen & Hallas, 1980

Unplated marine Echiniscoidea without digits. Secondary clavae dome-shaped or indistinct. Other cephalic appendages and leg appendages reduced. Cirrus A and cirrus E similar. The fourth leg appendage is a papilla, as the primary clavae.

Selected literature for further information: See Møbjerg et al. (2016) in which the subdivision of Echiniscoididae into two subfamilies is proposed and the subfamily Isoechiniscoidinae erected. See Møbjerg et al. (2016) for a discussion of the classification of Anisonyches .

46. In the terminology of this key “spurs” = accessory points.

47. Buccal clavae may consist of fused secondary and tertiary clavae that appear H-shaped around the mouth, or they can be located rostrally as club-shaped clavae (secondary clavae?).

48. The presence of a median cirrus was mentioned in the original description of Anisonyches deliquus Chang & Rho, 1998 and A. mauritianus Grimaldi de Zio, D'Addabbo Gallo, Morone De Lucia , & D’Addabbo, 1987. According to Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1987b), and Chang & Rho (1998b), in the third species of the genus, A. diakidius Pollock, 1975 , a very small medium cirrus has been observed in some specimens, so its presence in all Anisonyches is likely but overlooked by Pollock (1975).