TARDIGRADA: CANADA 165 



Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XX. Fig. 44) 



Description. Large, red; length 300 /u, exclusive of legs. Plates ten,V. and VI. 

 united, two pairs, three median. Lateral processes four a a seta of 80 p., c a seta of 

 120 /u, d a seta of 70 n, e a seta of 90 M. Dorsal processes over c a curved spine 

 of variable length, 10 to 25 /a and upwai'ds over d a small spicule. The mouth palps 

 are large and stout, and the cirri short. The auricle at the base of a is small and 

 rounded. The fringe on the fourth leg is crenate. The inner claws of the fourth leg 

 have decurved barbs of moderate size. The dots on the plates are very fine, and 

 appear to be granules. An example of 210 M in length had claws of nearly 25 M. 



Skins with two eggs have been found. The larva with two claws, found 

 associated with this animal, had only the setae a and c. All the dorsal processes 

 may be lacking. 



Habitat. Among moss from the sea- shore at Victoria, British Columbia, several 

 examples, larva, and eggs. 



It rarely happens that an Echiniscus with V. and VI. united has three distinct 

 median plates. Sometimes the skin between IV. and V. is dotted, but there are no 

 lines marking the boundaries of a plate. In this animal, and another figured on the 

 same plate (Fig. 46), the third median is distinct. 



The lateral setaj are the same in number as in E. testudo, E. muscicola, E.fila- 

 mentosus, &c., but they are differently arranged. E. velaminis has the same number 

 of setae, and their positions are the same, but it has the dots of a totally different 

 character, no barbs on the claws, and much larger processes on the fringe. 



Although the finding of eggs shows that the animal is mature, it cannot be 

 positively identified with any known species, nor yet accepted as distinct. The 

 variability of the dorsal processes confirms what has been already stated as to the 

 unreliability of that character. It is a good example of those forms which may be 

 regarded as distinct species, but which lack sufficiently good characters, other than 

 the arrangement of the spines and setae. 



Echiniscus, sp. ? (Plate XX. Fig. 46) 



Desertion. Small, red ; length 180 M , exclusive of legs. Plates nine, V. and VI. 

 united, two pairs, three median. Lateral processes four a a seta of 80 M, 6 a seta of 

 40 M, c a seta of 100 p., d a seta of 100 /". Dorsal processes over c a seta of 40 /u, 

 over d a spine of 15 p.. Mouth palps relatively large, and cirri long. Lumbar plate 

 trefoliate. Fringe of few large blunt processes. A blunt palp at the base of the 

 fourth leg. The inner claws of the last legs with small decurved barbs. Dots on 

 the plates small and uniform, apparently granules. 



Habitat. Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia. 



In the number and the surface texture of the plates this animal resembles that 



