Genus description from Dastych 1992: “Semiterrestrial eutardigrades belonging to the family Hypsibiidae Pilato, 1969. Head segment provided with three flat lobes in its frontal (“facial”) part, i.e. a median and two lateral. Upper parts of lateral lobes shaped like a pair of roundish and flattened dome-tipped structures. Mouth opening surrounded by a flat ring of wrinkled cuticle, instead of the usual six peribuccal lobes. Buccopharyngeal apparatus of Diphascon-type, with a ring of lamella-like structures around upper edge of mouth cavity. Mouth tube without strengthening bar and terminated in its posterior part with a strikingly large and striated posteriodorsal apodeme (= ‘drop-like’ structure: Pilato, 1987a). Pharygeal tube relatively wide, conspicuously short and annulated. Claw system of Hypsibius-type, with formula “2121”. The smooth and ovoid eggs are deposited into the [shedded] cuticle.”
Genus additional notes from Pilato & Binda 1996: “…both the dorsal and the ventral apophyses for the insertion of the stylet muscles can be defined in shape of ‘triangular ridge’ rather than ‘hook shaped’… those ‘lamella-like structures’ seem peribuccal papulae rather than lamellae… the claws of Paradiphascon can be considered of Isohypsibius type rather than of Hypsibius type.
Like in other cases, the resemblance with the claws of Hypsibius type can be noted in the internal claws where, being large the portion between the basal portion and the secondary branch, it is not very evident that the angle between the former and the latter is a right angle. but if we consider the axis of the basal portion and the axis of the secondary branch, one can note between them an angle of approximately 90° rather than a continuous curve.”
Citations:
Dastych H. 1992. Paradiphascon manningi gen. n. sp. n., a new water-bear from South Africa, with the erecting of a new subfamily Diphasconinae (Tardigrada). Mitteilungen aus den Hamburgischen Zoologischen Museum und Institut. 89: 125-139.
Pilato G, Binda MG. 1996. Additional remarks to the description of some genera of eutardigrades. Bollettino delle Sedute della Accademia Gioenia di Scienze Naturali in Catania. 29 (351): 33-40.
