New description of Echiniscus viridis Murray, 1910 and remarks on the viridis group

Abstract

The type material of Echiniscus viridis Murray, 1910 is probably lost. Here we give a new description of this species from two specimens from the type locality (Hawaiian Islands) deposited in the collection of the late Robert O. Schuster (Bohart Museum of Entomology of California, Davis, United States). The validity of the other species of the group viridis is confirmed, and the need to confirm the records of E. viridis from geographical areas different from the type locality is stressed. © The Royal Society of New Zealand 2008.