176 J. MURRAY 



Diphascon scoticum, Murray (11) 

 Habitat. Stanley Park, Vancouver : Rocky Mountains. 



Diphascon canadense, sp. n. (Plate XXI. Figs. 62o-62c) 



Specific characters. Small, without eyes, hyaline. Gullet long, slender. 

 Pharynx round, with apophysis, two rods and a " comma " in each row, the first 

 about twice as long as broad, the second about as long as broad. Claws typical for 

 the genus. 



Detailed description. Length up to 250 M. Form narrow and elongate. 

 Pharynx 25 M in diameter. Gullet 50 to 60 p. in length, very slender, little over 1 /* 

 in diameter. The largest pair of claws is about 12 to 15 M in length. The long 

 claw is very slender, the short one somewhat thick. Both claws of the smaller pair 

 are slender they are unequal and joined at the base only. The eggs were not 

 seen. 



Habitat. Moss from the sea-shore at Victoria, British Columbia, fairly abundant. 



Among species having the gullet slender and the pharynx short it is only 

 necessary to compare D. canadensis with D. oculatum (13), to which it is closely 

 related. It was at first supposed to be a blind form of oculatum, till other slight 

 differences were noticed. 



D. oculatum is larger, and has a pair of dark eyes. The pharynx is not so 

 nearly round, and the two thickenings in each row are equal, and scarcely longer 

 than broad. The claws of the shorter pair are shorter and thicker. 



The eye-spots are not considered to be trustworthy as specific characters, though 

 I know of no variation in the genus Diphascon. When, however, we consider the 

 slight but constant differences in the pharynx and claws, the species appears 

 sufficiently distinguished from D. oculatum. 



REMARKS ON THE CANADIAN TARDIGRADE FAUNA 



Its composition. Of the 31 species studied 23 were identified the other 8 

 require further study. There are 9 species of Echiniscus, 17 of Macrobiotus, 4 of 

 Diphascon, and 1 Milnesium. Seven species are considered to be new to science 

 (2 Echiniscus, 4 Macrobiotus, and 1 Diphascon}. 



The list is such a one as might be expected as the result of a very limited amount 

 of work on any continental area. The different genera arc represented in about the 

 average proportions, and there are no very peculiar forms. The most curious fact in 

 the composition of the list is the total absence from it of species of Echiniscus of 

 that section of the genus which has plates V. and VI. quite separate. As E. muta- 

 bilis is one of the most cosmopolitan water-bears the absence from our collections 

 must be considered as accidental. 



