A New Species Of Tardigrada From A Caribbean Reef Lagoon, Florarctus Yucatanensis Sp. Nov. (Halechiniscidae: Florarctinae)

Florarctus yucatanensis sp. nov. is described from the subtidal zone of a reef lagoon located on the Mexican coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. The new species exhibits a wrinkled dorsal cuticle, sculptured alae, and continuous caestus with projections of characteristic position and morphology, by which it is clearly differentiated from all known congeners. Florarctus yucatanensis sp. nov. presents the first observations of a continuous granulated sculpture of the alae, distinct from the typical punctuations formed by cuticular pillars seen among all Florarctus species.