Tardigrades of North Carolina
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View PDFDoryphoribiidae Members: 10 NC Records

Thulinius cf. saltursus - No Common Name



Habitus, DIC
Taxonomy
Class: EutardigradaOrder: Parachela Family: Doryphoribiidae Checklist Number: 1640.0 Synonym: Thulinius cf. saltursus
Taxonomic Comments: The genus was transferred to Doryphoribiidae by Gasiorek et al. 2019. Specimens from GSMNP are discussed in Bertolani et al. 2014.
Species Notes: Freshwater. Additional analysis with DNA necessary to compare with S. saltursus.
Identification
Online resources:Online Photographs: Google, GBIF                                                                                 
Species Description: For T. saltursus proper:
Colorless, cuticle smooth or slightly wrinkled; eye spots absent. Mouth not surrounded by lamellae. The buccal tube medium width (length 33 microns, width 7 microns, in an example of 561 microns; pharynx oval, with large elongated apophyses and three macroplacoids of rod-shape, the first two very close, the third farther away; the second macroplacoid is the shortest, the first is the longest; microplacoid absent. Claws large, with basal part narrowed at the proximal end, and massive branch at their junction, and then rapidly attenuating toward the apices; robust accessory points, especially on the principal branch of the internal claw. The original description did not mention lunules, but they are present, however not very pronounced, and are particularly large on the 4th pair of legs. Eggs smooth, deposited in the exuvium.
-Ramazzotti & Maucci 1983
Body Length: Unknown.
Key Characters: Smooth cuticle, lunules only on external(posterior) claws as in T. saltursus.
Key Character Images
ID Requirements: Identifiable only by close inspection of key characters or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Dates:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats: Freshwater streams.
Abundance: Uncommon in Bartels' GSMNP inventory.
Diet: Carnivorous or omnivorous.
Reproduction: Smooth eggs deposited in exuvium.
Observation Methods: PC and DIC.
Wikipedia

 Photo Gallery for Thulinius cf. saltursus - No common name

Photos: 4

Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Buccal apparatus, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Peribuccal lamellae, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Claws III showing lunules on external claw, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Habitus, DIC