Tardigrades of North Carolina
Home Page
Recent Entries
Recent Account Updates
County Searches
General Search
References
Maps
Draft Checklists
NC Biodiversity Project
Comments
Scientific Name:
Family:
BATILLIPEDIDAE
CALOHYPSIBIIDAE
DORYPHORIBIIDAE
ECHINISCIDAE
EOHYPSIBIIDAE
HALECHINISCIDAE
HYPSIBIIDAE
ISOHYPSIBIIDAE
ITAQUASCONIDAE
MACROBIOTIDAE
MICROHYPSIBIIDAE
MILNESIIDAE
MURRAYIDAE
PILATOBIIDAE
RAMAZZOTTIIDAE
RICHTERSIUSIDAE
STYGARCTIDAE
STYRACONYXIDAE
TANARCTIDAE
Order:
APOCHELA
"ARTHROTARDIGRADES"
ECHINISCOIDEA
PARACHELA
Class:
Heterotardigrada
Eutardigrada
«
Home
»
View
PDF
Tanarctidae Members:
Tanarctus arborspinosus
Tanarctus dendriticus
Tanarctus gracilis
Tanarctus heterodactylus
1 NC Records
Tanarctus heterodactylus
Renaud-Mornant, 1980 - No Common Name
Dorsal drawing Renaud-Mornant 1980
Taxonomy
Class:
Heterotardigrada
Order:
"Arthrotardigrades"
Family:
Tanarctidae
Checklist Number:
2210.0
Taxonomic Comments:
There are currently (Oct 2023) 15 species known for this genus.
Species Notes:
Marine. Discovered in NC at 4000 m depth off the coast of Cape Lookout. Also reported from Faroe Islands, Brazil and Indian Ocean.
Identification
Online resources:
Online Photographs:
Google
,
GBIF
Species Description:
Oval shape, slender. The cuticle is strongly punctated on the dorsal surface. The head is trapezoidal, clearly separated from the trunk with a lateral constriction. The cephalic cirri depart from thick bases: unpaired median cirrus, 9 microns; internal median cirri (25 microns) are united to each other by a translucent membrane; external median cirri, 23 microns. The lateral cephalic lobes are poorly developed and bear the cirri A (15 microns) and the clavae (155 microns), swollen at the bases. The mouth is a transverse fissure, situated ventrally. The trunk does not bear lateral constrictions. On the posterior part, the cirri E measure 25 microns. The caudal bristles, swollen on the proximal part, are not branched and bear a small basal spur: their length is 150 microns. bristle) of trapezoidal shape, and a tibia, much narrower, ending with a point; the tarsi are triangular. Each leg bears a pair of median digits (l0 microns), which have at their base a cuticular fold, and bear distally a sickle-shaped claw, with external spur. At the side of the digit exists two small cuticular outgrowths of 4-5 microns, without claws.
-Ramazzotti & Maucci 1983
Body Length:
Length up to 135 microns
Key Characters:
Primary clavae about 155 microns long, posterior appendages unbranched (150 microns long) without bristles but have a small basal spur approximately 20 microns from base.
Key Character Images
Dorsal drawing Renaud-Mornant 1980
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:
Deep sea fine sand.
Abundance:
Unknown.
Diet:
Probably herbivorous.
Reproduction:
Sexual, females with seminal receptacles, eggs probably deposited in exuvium.
Observation Methods:
PC.
Wikipedia
Photo Gallery for
Tanarctus heterodactylus
- No common name
Photos: 2
Recorded by: Renaud-Mornant on 1974-05-15
Carteret Co.
Comment: Dorsal drawing Renaud-Mornant 1980
Recorded by: Renaud-Mornant on 1974-05-15
Carteret Co.
Comment: Ventral drawing with foot, Renaud-Mornant 1980