Tardigrades of North Carolina
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View PDFEchiniscidae Members: 1 NC Records

Viridiscus unidentified species - No Common Name


Drawing of Viridiscus viridis from Ramazzotti & Maucci 1983
Taxonomy
Class: HeterotardigradaOrder: Echiniscoidea Family: Echiniscidae Checklist Number: 2170.0
Taxonomic Comments: Transferred from Echiniscus by Gasiorek et al. 2019. Species description for V. viridis amended by Pilato et al. 2008.
Species Notes: Terrestrial. This record was originally reported as Echiniscus viridis which has been transferred to Viridiscus. Viridiscus viridis has been recorded from multiple locations around the world, including OK, TN and NC in USA, but verified records of V. viridis are known only from Hawaiian Archipelago according to Momeni et al. 2023, and much has changed in Virdiscus taxonomy since 1970. We have thus reported this record as Viridiscus unidentified species.
Identification
Online resources:Online Photographs:                                                                                  
Species Description: For the actual Viridiscus viridis:
The second specimen about 220 μm long. Colour of plates dark green. No true neck plate, but a thickened transversal area with a faint ornamentation is present between the cephalic plate and the scapular plate; other plates with well marked edges; scapular plate subdivided into a wide central portion and two small lateral, almost triangular, portions; median plate 1 triangular (Fig. 1A); median plate 2 subdivided into two portions; no median plate 3, but the area between the paired plates III and the terminal plate is sculptured (Fig. 1A,C,D). Terminal plate unfaceted and with two incisions (Fig. 1 A,D). The cuticular ornamentation of the cephalic plate, neck plate, median plate 1, posterior portion of the median plate 2, a part of the anterior portion of the paired plates II and III , posterior portion of these plates, and terminal plate is formed by almost round, slightly raised, dark tubercles (very faint on the neck plate) and by a very fine and very dense granulation that was difficult to see (Fig. 1, 3A). Only at maximum magnification, are very small, light spots visible between or around the dark tubercles, derived from more distance between the fine dots forming the smaller granulation (Fig. 3A). The distance between the dark tubercles is equal to or greater than the diameter (the distance between the dark tubercles on the terminal plate is even greater) (Fig. 1, 3A). The largest tubercles (diameter about 2.5 μm) are present on the scapular plate and on the terminal plate. The paired plates II and III (Fig. 1A,C) have a large posterior portion with typical ornamentation, as described above, and an anterior portion where three areas can be distinguished: a very small anterior part with only small dark tubercles; a larger medial area with the typical ornamentation with dense dark tubercles very evident; and a small lateral area with faint tubercles. Between the anterior and the posterior portion, a band with only small dark tubercles is present. The anterior portion of the median plate 2 and the area corresponding to the median plate 3 lack fine, dense, granulation and have only dark tubercles (Fig. 1 A,C,D). The trunk plates are bordered by a narrow area, of the same colour as the plates, with very faint dark tubercles. On the legs there are three sculptured areas with fine, dense granulation, two of which are dorsal to the claws and one near the claw bases. The ventral body surface has a fine granulation in the cephalic region and between the legs; that fine granulation is not visible in other ventral areas. Buccal cirri, cephalic papilla, clava, cirrus A and spine on the first pair of legs are present. With the exception of the short cirrus A (Fig. 1B), no other dorsal or lateral trunk appendage is present. A papilla and a dentate fringe (with about nine teeth) are present on the fourth pair of legs (Fig. 2B). Claws well developed (Fig. 1B, 2A–C). All internal claws (Fig. 2A,C) with a thin, straight spur directed downwards, but difficult to observe. For measurements, see Table 1. In the shortest of the two examined specimens, we noted the anomalous presence, on leg 1, of two spines: one 4.7 μm long, the other 1.3 μm. One specimen has a normal papilla but the dentate fringe has an anomalous aspect. (Fig. 2C).
-Pilato et al. 2008
Body Length: 190-220 microns.
Key Characters: For V. viridis: Green cuticle with dark granules but no white pores. Fewer granules than in V. celatus. Cirri A very short, <10% BL.
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: Moss and lichen.
Abundance: Unknown.
Diet: Herbivorous.
Reproduction: Smooth eggs deposited in exuvium.
Observation Methods: PC.
Wikipedia

 Photo Gallery for Viridiscus unidentified species - No Common Name

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Crowe on 0000-00-00
Forsyth Co.
Comment: Drawing of Viridiscus viridis from Ramazzotti & Maucci 1983