original description
Pollock, L.W. (1979). Angursa bicuspis n. g., n. sp., a new marine Arthrotardigrada from the western North Atlantic. <em>Transactions of the American Microscopical Society.</em> 98: 558-562. [details] Available for editors [request]
basis of record
van der Land, J. (ed). (2008). UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms (URMO). , available online at http://www.marinespecies.org/urmo/ [details]
additional source
Fujimoto, S.; Hansen, J. G. (2019). Revision of <em>Angursa </em>(Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae) with the description of a new species from Japan. <em>European Journal of Taxonomy.</em> (510): 1-19. [details] Available for editors [request]
Holotype USNM 50900, geounit Buzzards Bay [details]
From editor or global species database
Taxonomic remark Emended diagnosis by Fujimoto & Hansen, 2019 [details]From regional or thematic species database
Taxonomic remark Pollock (1979) described this taxon (which is also the type species for the genus Angursa) based on two
specimens, one from the intertidal zone and one from the deep sea. He described some differences between
these specimens, but he decided they were not sufficient to assign these specimens to two different taxa (some
differences were very small and some structures were not visible in the deep sea specimen probably due to
preservation). Pollock (1979) pointed out that such a wide range of depths for tardigrade species is unusual, as
is the difference in substrates where the two specimens were found. Based on modern taxonomy we should
probably consider specimens described by Pollock (1979) as belonging to two different taxa, but reexamination
of the type material is necessary to confirm this statement. Type specimens are available at the
Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of Natural History. Renaud-Mornant (1981b) described the
subspecies Angursa bicuspis abyssalis based on some minor differences, however Villora-Moreno (1998)
stated that this description was a redescription of Pollock’s species. He also stated that Pollock’s description
was not sufficient to separate nominal species from other Angursa species, but the new characters described by Renaud-Mornant (1981b) for A. bicuspis were very valuable and adequate for such separation (Villora-Moreno
1998). We think the situation is still unclear because this species has a very peculiar distribution from the
intertidal zone to the abyss (2200 m bsl). Temporarily, we decided to accept Villora-Moreno’s (1998) point of
view but we think that the issue needs more detailed study. This species has also been found in submarine
caves. It has been reported from different substrates mainly in southern parts of the northern hemisphere,
however it is also known from one locality in the southern hemisphere. [details]