NEOARCTIDAE de Zio Grimaldi, D’Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992

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 : 31

1.5 NEOARCTIDAE de Zio Grimaldi, D’Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992 (emended by Bello & Grimaldi de Zio 1998).

Considered as subfamily Neoarctinae assigned to the family Stygarctidae by de Zio Grimaldi et al. (1992) was elevated to family level by Bello & Grimaldi de Zio (1998).

Arthrotardigrada with a complete set of cephalic cirri and three pairs of clavae. Body covered with five thin plates: A cephalic plate, a scapular plate (segmental plate I) which bears two long cirrophores with the primary clavae and cirri A, two other plates (segmental plates II and III), and the caudal plate (segmental plate IV). Median cirrus, internal and external cirri, with the secondary and tertiary clavae, located on the cephalic plate. Stylet supports absent. Legs non digitate, lacking true telescopy. Three claws on all legs attached to the tarsus with a dorsal basal membrane. Claws of different length: two longer, on the middle of the tarsus, and a short lateral one. A very short and thin dorsal bristle32 on the two medial claws. Sense organs on every leg. Cirrus E with a coarse accordion-shaped articulation.

1.5.1 Neoarctus de Zio Grimaldi, D’Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992 ( Figs 9 D, 10G) Generic diagnosis as that of the family.

Type species: Neoarctus primigenius de Zio Grimaldi, D’Addabbo Gallo & Morone De Lucia, 1992 Selected literature for further information: de Zio Grimaldi et al. (1992).

Figures

FIGURE 9. Habitus drawings of marine heterotardigrades. A Paratanarctus, redrawn from D’Addabbo Gallo et al. (1992). B Anisonyches, redrawn from Grimaldi de Zio & D’Addabbo Gallo (1987). C Echiniscoides, Isoechiniscoides redrawn from Kristensen & Hallas (1980). D Neoarctus, redrawn from Grimaldi de Zio et al. (1992).