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Type: Article
Published: 2015-02-11
Page range: 273–284
Abstract views: 30
PDF downloaded: 1

Two new freshwater eutardigrade species from Sicily

Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
Department of Biological, Geological and Environmental Sciences, University of Catania, Via Androne 81, 95124, Catania, Italy.
Tardigrada Sicilian freshwater fauna Isohypsibius rusticus sp. nov. Isohypsibius zappalai sp. nov.

Abstract

Two new species of freshwater Eutardigrada are described from Sicily: Isohypsibius rusticus sp. nov. and Isohypsibius zappalai sp. nov. The former species has eye spots, ornamented body surface with many, variously sized tubercles; bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the Isohypsibius type; pharyngeal bulb with apophyses and two rod-shaped macroplacoids; microplacoid absent; claws, of the Isohypsibius type, well developed, with long and thin common basal portion; main branches of all claws without free accessory points; very thin lunules present; cuticular bars on the legs absent.

         Isohypsibius zappalai sp. nov. has eye spots; entire body surface with small tubercles rounded in shape, fairly uniformly sized and tending to form transverse lines; bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the Isohypsibius type, pharyngeal bulb with apophyses and two macroplacoids; microplacoid absent; claws of the Isohypsibius type, well developed, with long common basal portion and both main and secondary branches with a wide proximal portion. Main branches of all claws with accessory points; small, flexible lunules present; cuticular bars on the legs absent.