TARDIGRADA: AUSTRALIA 143 



Genus Diphascon, Plate (23) 

 Diphascon chilenense, Plate (23) 



In the Australian Alps near the borders of New South Wales and Victoria, 

 altitude 5000 to 6000 feet. 



Diphascon scoticum, Murray" (11) 



Synonym. D. crozetense, Richters (35). 



At Katoomba, in the Blue Mountains, elevation 2000 to 3000 feet, frequent. 



REMARKS ON THE AUSTRALIAN TARDIGRADE FAUNA 



Its composition. Thirty-one species have been recognised and named, but a good 

 many others have been observed, though they could not be named. The list includes 

 eleven species of Echiniscus, one of Milnesium, two of Diphascon, sixteen of 

 Macrobiotus, and Oreella, a new genus. 



This Tardigrade fauna shows many peculiarities. It is, of course, very imperfectly 

 known, but taking the facts as they stand, the following are points of interest. 

 Though much less carefully worked than New Zealand, the Australian list is longer 

 than the New Zealand one. 



It presents much greater peculiarity. Only about half the species are common 

 or widely distributed. There is one interesting generic type, somewhat intermediate 

 between Echiniscus and Macrobiotus, at present unknown elsewhere. There are six 

 new species, of which five are as yet only known in Australia, and there are several 

 the distribution of which is very restricted or very peculiar. 



The list is the longest one compiled for any one country during the expedition. 

 In Australia we got 38 species, of which 31 were identified. Canada comes next 

 with 31 species (23 identified), then New Zealand with 25 species (21 identified). 



The subjoined table shows the distribution of the Australian water-bears over 

 the world, in 13 columns, 4 for the principal localities visited in Australia, and 9 for 

 the rest of the world. 



The local distribution is remarkable on account of the very little indication there 

 is that the species are to any extent generally distributed in Australia. No fewer than 

 twenty-three out of the thirty-one species occurred in only one of the four localities 

 visited. Those localities certainly offer very different climatic conditions. The 

 contrast between the cool moist mountain-tops of the Alpine region at elevations of 

 from 5000 to GOOO feet above the sea, and the low-lying parched bush of sub- 

 tropical Queensland, is very great. The Blue Mountain region is of intermediate 

 character, and it was in it that the greater number of the species, and the most 

 peculiar species, were obtained. That the distribution is very local, even in any one 

 district, is clearly shown by our experience in washing the moss. For a long time 



