Doryphoribius vietnamensis ( IHAROS, 1969 ), 2006

Beasley, C., Kaczmarek, Ł & Michalczyk, Ł., 2006, Redescription Of Doryphoribius Vietnamensis (Iharos, 1969) (Tardigrada) Comb. Nov. On The Basis Of The Holotype And Additional Material From China, Acta Zoologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 52 (4), pp. 367-372 : 368-371

Doryphoribius vietnamensis ( IHAROS, 1969) comb. nov.

( Figs 1–2 , 5–6, 8–9 )

Hypsibius vietnamensis IHAROS, 1969

Isohypsibius vietnamensis ( IHAROS, 1969) (in RAMAZZOTTI and MAUCCI 1983)

Type material: Holotype: Vietnam, Huong tich, Pagoda Caves ( Duc khé , Huong-son ), 60 km south-west of Hanoi, mosses from soil, 1966, leg. Dr GY. TOPÁL. In the same sample two other species were found: Macrobiotus hufelandi SCHULTZE, 1833 and Minibiotus intermedius (PLATE, 1888) .

Additional material: 2 specimens from Dinghu , Guangdong Province, China, from moss ; 2 specimens from Meng-lun ( Xiaomenglun ), Yunnan Province, China, from moss from tree .

Redescription of the holotype. Body length 251.8 ( Figs 1–2 ). Large eyes present in anterior position. Body colour not visible ( IHAROS (1969) reported that specimens of I. vietnamensis are dark yellow-orange). Cuticle on dorsal side of body with fine granulation. Cuticle on ventral side of body smooth. Dorsal side with rows of gibbosities ( Fig. 2 ).

Bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of Doryphoribius type with ventral reinforcement bar ( Figs 5–6 , Fig. 5 after IHAROS (1969) without reinforcement bar). Mouth antero-ventral. Buccal tube 34.7 long and 3.3 [9.5] wide. At end of buccal tube triangular or rounded pharyngeal apophyses present. Stylet supports inserted on buccal tube at 24.0 [69.2]. Pharyngeal bulb oval, with three rounded macroplacoids. Microplacoid and septula absent. First macroplacoid 2.9 [8.4], second 3.3 [9.5] long and third 3.8 [10.9]. Macroplacoid row 10.9 [31.4] long ( Figs 5–6 ).

Claws of Isohypsibius type. Lengths of external claws of fourth pair of legs: primary branch 15.2 [43.8], secondary branch 9.5 [27.4]. Primary branches of claws with well developed accessory points. Lunules and other cuticular structures not detectable ( Figs 8–9 ). Eggs unknown.

Distribution: Vietnam and China.

Remarks – The holotype is in a bad condition and the dorsal gibbosities are weakly visible. Based on the original description they are arranged in 9 rows covered by tiny granulation (2 gibbosities in row 8; 3 in row 9; 4 in rows 2, 4, 6; 5 in rows 1, 3, 5, 7). Also claws on the first three pair of legs are almost invisible and it is not possible to observe lunules or other cuticular structures. In the original description the author did not mention these structures. Description based on additional specimens from China ( Figs 3–4 , 7, 10 ).

Body length 216.0–345.0 ( Figs 3–4 ). Large eyes present in anterior position. Cuticle on dorsal side of body covered by fine granulation. Cuticle on ventral side of body smooth. Dorsal side with rows of gibbosities covered by tiny granulation ( Figs 3–4 ). Arrangement of gibbosities same as in original description by IHAROS (1969).

Bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of Doryphoribius type ( Fig. 7 ) with ventral reinforcement bar. Mouth antero-ventral. Buccal tube 27.8–33.9 long and 1.8–3.3 [6.5–9.4] wide. At end of buccal tube triangular or rounded pharyngeal apophyses. Stylet supports inserted on buccal tube at 19.2–23.5 [69.0–69.3]. Pharyngeal bulb oval, with three rounded macroplacoids. Microplacoid and septula absent. First macroplacoid 1.8–3.1 [6.7–6.8] long, second 1.5–2.8 [5.4–6.2] and third 1.9–3.5 [6.8–8.5]. Macroplacoid row 7.4–10.7 [25.0–26.6] long.

Claws of Isohypsibius type. Lengths of external claws: I pair: primary branch 9.9–13.8 [32.4–35.6], secondary branch 7.3–10.3 [24.2–26.3]; II pair: pb. 9.4–9.9 [33.0–35.6], sb. 8.7 [25.7]; III pair: pb. 10.5 [37.8], sb. 6.9 [24.8]; IV pair: pb. 10.8 [38.8], sb. 8.3–9.8 [28.9–29.9]. Primary branches of claws with well developed accessory points. Lunules and other cuticular absent ( Fig. 10 ). Eggs unknown.

Differential diagnosis

Doryphoribius vietnamensis comb. nov. is similar to Doryphoribius gibber BEASLEY et PILATO, 1987 , D. mariae PILATO et BINDA, 1990 and D. zyxiglobus (HORNING et al., 1978) .

D. vietnamensis differs from D. gibber , D. mariae and D. zyxiglobus in the number of rows of gibbosities (9 in D. vietnamensis comb. nov., 8 in D. zyxiglobus , 10 in D. gibber and 12 in D. mariae ) and number of gibbosities in each row (gibbosities formula: 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 4, 5, 2, 3 in D. vietnamensis comb. nov.: 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 2, 2, 3 in D. gibber , 6, 4, 6, 4, 6, 4, 4, 2 in D. zyxiglobus and 4 or 6 gibbosities in rows 1–11 and 1 gibbosity in row 12).

Figures

Figs 1–4. Doryphoribius vietnamensis comb. nov., habitus: 1 = original drawing from IHAROS (1969), 2 = holotype, 3–4 = specimens collected from China

Figs 5–10. Doryphoribius vietnamensis comb. nov.: 5–7 = bucco-pharyngeal apparatus; 8–10 = claws of the fourth pair of legs (5 and 8 – original drawing from IHAROS (1969); 6 and 9 = holotype; 7 and 10 = specimen collected from China)