Angursa bicuspis n. g., n. sp., a Marine Arthrotardigrade from the Western North Atlantic

Description of a New Subspecies of Angursa biscupis Pollock (Heterotardigrada, Halechiniscidae) from Tanabe Bay, Japan

“…Pollock (1979) found the "large irregular refractile bodies" in A. b. biscupis and mentioned that the structures were possibly related to "lateral vesicles" described in Florarctus hulingsi by Renaud-Mornant (1976), which turned out to be seminal receptacles later. The structures found by him are undoubtedly seminal receptacles, and his supposition is just correct.…”

“…It is well known that the hooks of each claw of Angursa species are laterally opposed and that the external hook is somewhat stronger than the internal hook as Pollock (1979) and Renaud-Mornant (1981) indicated. As shown in the description of the holotype of the new subspecies, it is found that the internal hook forks ventrally from the claw crescent at first, and then bends internally.…”

“…In the genus Angursa, two species, Angursa biscupis Pollock, 1979 andAngursa lanceolata Renaud-Mornant, 1981, have been known. Angursa from Tanabe Bay can be identified with Angursa biscupis because it has large primary clavae, distinct spines only on legs I and simple cirri E. Angursa biscupis has had two subspecies, namely, A. b. biscupis Pollock, 1979 (the nominotypical subspecies) and A. b. abyssalis Renaud-Mornant, 1981. Angursa biscupis biscupis does not have a median cirrus or papillae of legs IV and has papillae beside the anus, while A. b. abyssalis has a median cirrus and papillae of legs IV but not papillae beside the anus.…”

“…nov. than in other two subspecies. The primary clavae of the new subspecies are 16.6-20.5 ,urn, 9.2-14 percent of body length as opposed to 9.5-12 ,urn, 7.4--7.5 percent of body length in A. b. biscupis (Pollock, 1979) and to 10 ,urn, 8.2 percent of body length in A. b. abyssalis (Renaud-Mornant, 1981). The shape of the primary clavae of the new subspecies is not "strap-like" as described in other two subspecies, but "club-shaped" with round transverse section.…”

“…The shape of the primary clavae of the new subspecies is not "strap-like" as described in other two subspecies, but "club-shaped" with round transverse section. Peduncles were not described in A. b. biscupis by Pollock (1979). RenaudMornant (1981) drew those of A. b. abyssalis which, according to her drawings, have rather simple structures.…”