Echiniscus mediantus Marcus 1930

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 : 12

Echiniscus mediantus Marcus 1930

I have identified 754 specimens collected in all samples studied. Typical morphology (lateral filaments at position C and the usual dorsal appendices: filaments at C and spines at D; Table 4 and Fig. 4 ) is present in 65% of individuals. I detected 11 morphotypes ( Fig. 4 ), but only one morphotype was represented by more than 3% of the specimens (the one without one of the lateral filaments at position C). I detected different morphotypes of this species mixed within the same sample. Specimens of Echiniscus mediantus showed the same cuticle sculpture size variation described for Echiniscus blumi . I found also within-species variability in presence of spurs (one or two) or their absence at the base of the external claws in the fourth pair of legs. Body size ranged from 308 to 770 μm, mean 510 μm (SD 95). This species has been cited for Europe and America. In the Iberian Peninsula, it has been recorded for Portugal ( Maucci & Durante Pasa 1984, 1985) and Spain ( Rodríguez Roda 1951; Maucci & Durante Pasa 1984, 1985). Echiniscus mediantus was found at 29 sampling points (Table 3).

Figures

FIGURE 4. Morphological variability found in Echiniscus mediantus. Percentages are provided for each morphotype. Arrows indicate missing appendages.