Hemitanarctus chimaera ng, n sp, new Halechiniscidae from the Ionian Sea (Tardigrada, Heterotardigrada)

Seven specimens of a new Halechiniscidae were collected from the Ionian Sea (Marina di Pulsano and Campomarino, near Taranto). Many peculiar characteristics of the specimens allow the authors to establish the new species Hemitanarctus chimaera n.g., n.sp. of the subfamily Halechiniscinae. The most important features of this new species are a long primary clava, a deep neck furrow and the arrangement of three plus one toes on the first three pairs of legs, whereas the toes in the fourth pair resemble those in the genus Tanarctus; furthermore characteristics of both Halechiniscinae and Tanarctinae are present either in the cephalic region or in the legs. The shape of legs and claws and morphology of the pharyngeal apparatus in addition to other characteristics allow the authors to ascribe Hemitanarctus chimaera to the subfamily Halechiniscinae. The transfer of Halechiniscus subterraneus Renaud-Debyser, 1959 to the genus Hemitanarctus is also proposed.