128 J. MURRAY 



B : SPECIES HAVING V. AND VI. FUSED 

 fJchiniscus arctomys, Ehrenberg (3) 



On technical grounds I identify an Australian species as Ehrenberg's arctomys, 

 although not quite sure that it is mature. Ehrenberg's very meagre description, 

 as far as it goes, fits the Australian animal. There are nine coarsely punctate plates, 

 the seta a is of moderate length, there are no other setse or spines on the body, and 

 no fringe on the last legs, or barbs on the claws. 



The dots in our animal appear to be pits. The lumbar plate is strongly faceted, 

 having a central panel, two lateral, and one posterior, the lateral and posterior facets 

 being separated by the clefts which make the trefoil. 



The length of the animal is about 230 /x, exclusive of the fourth legs ; seta a 

 measures about 50 n, and the claws 12 to 15 M. 



Habitat. Katoomba, Blue Mountains ; fairly plentiful. 



As already pointed out (pp. 110 and 126), all my previous records under the 

 name of E. arctomys are erroneous, and really refer to a form of E. mutabilis. This 

 is the first record I have made of the true arctomys, agreeing with Ehrenberg's 

 description and figure. 



According to the records E. arctomys is one of the most cosmopolitan of 

 Tardigrada, but it is doubtful whether many of them refer to the true arctomys 

 of Ehrenberg. 



Echiniscus kerguelensis, Richters (31) (Plate XVI. Fig. 13) 



Professor Richters, unfortunately, gives no figure of this species. From his 

 description it appears to be distinguished from E. arctomys by the presence of a 

 fringe on the fourth leg, and by the weaker granulation. 



As in the absence of a figure of the species the identity is not quite certain, I 

 here figure and describe fully the Australian form. 



Description. Total length, exclusive of legs, 225 M, seta a about 80 M long 

 (which is longer than that of the Australian arctomys, but shorter than that of 

 tvendti). Plates nine, coarsely punctate with apparent perforations. The auricles at 

 the bases of setse a are prominent and somewhat elongate. The mouth cirri and 

 palps are normal. The plates of the pairs are each divided into two parts by a line 

 which cuts off a narrow zone parallel with the anterior border. There are two 

 median plates. The lumbar plate is trefoliate and is not faceted. The fourth legs 

 are fairly long, and each has a blunt palp near its base. The fringe consists of 

 narrow sharp spines. The inner claws have decurved barbs. The colour is red. 



Habitat. The Australian Alps of New South Wales, near the Victorian border, 

 altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. 



The occurrence of this Kerguelen species in Australia, one of the nearest masses 



