Mixibius parvus sp. nov. and Diphascon (Diphascon) ziliense sp. nov., two new species of Eutardigrada from Sicily

Two new species, Mixibius parvus sp. nov. and Diphascon (Diphascon) ziliense sp. nov. are described from Sicily.Mixibius parvus sp. nov. has three macroplacoids and a microplacoid and differs from M. tibetanus, the only otherknown species of the genus with those characteristics, in having a wrinkled cuticle without true small tubercles, ashorter microplacoid, smaller claw pt index values, and in lacking a cuticular bar on the first three pairs of the legs.Diphascon (Diphascon) ziliense sp. nov. lacks eye spots, has a pharyngeal bulb with two macroplacoids and a septulum,and possesses lunules and cuticular bars on the legs. It is similar to D. (D.) ramazzottii and D. (D.) procerum but differsfrom them in characters of the cuticular ornamentation and, in addition, from D. (D.) ramazzottii in having lunules andslightly longer claws in proportion to the body size and to the buccal tube. The new species differs from D. (D.) procerumin having stouter claws with a wider common portion and with the main branches shorter in proportion to the total lengthof the respective claws.