Macrobiotus spertii Ramazzotti, 1957

Guidetti, Roberto, Bertolani, Roberto & Degma, Peter, 2007, New taxonomic position of several Macrobiotus species (Eutardigrada: Macrobiotidae), Zootaxa 1471 (1), pp. 61-68 : 63

Macrobiotus spertii Ramazzotti, 1957

( Figs. 13–18 ; Table 1 )

In the holotype, it was not possible to determine the presence either of peribuccal lamellae or papulae. In the original description it was stated that peribuccal lamellae are not visible ( Ramazzotti 1957). In the holotype of this species (ventral position), the level of stylet support insertion has a pt = 68. 8 (character 5), the ventral lamina a pt = 52.2 (character 6) and the macroplacoid row a pt = 48.0 (character 7). The general shape of the bucco-pharyngeal apparatus does not resemble that seen in the other species examined above, even though, as with M. lazzaroi , some morphometric characters correspond to those of Minibiotus species.

The species is characterized by very evident accessory points in the main branch of claws ( Fig. 15 ). The granulation on the legs as well as cuticular pores are not detectable. Egg processes are usually uniform in each egg but they can be different among the eggs ( Figs. 16–18 ).

Figures

FIGURES 9–18. Macrobiotus lazzaroi (Figs. 9–12; PhC): 9—bucco-pharyngeal apparatus in ventral view (paratype); 10—claws of the second pair of legs (holotype); 11—pores on dorsal cuticle (holotype); 12—egg. Macrobiotus spertii (holotype) (Figs. 13–18; PhC): 13—bucco-pharyngeal apparatus in ventral view; 14—macroplacoids within the pharynx; 15—claws of the first pair of legs (arrow = accessory points on main branch); 16—egg; 17—egg processes of another egg; 18—egg processes of a further egg. Scale bars: 9, 10, 15, 17, 18 = 5 µm; 11–14, 16 = 10 µm.