After examining the tardigrade specimens collected in New Zealand and attributed by Tumanov (2004) to Macrobiotus cf. coronatus, the authors considered it justifiable to describe for them a new species named Mesobiotus helenae. It is very similar to Mesobiotus pseudoblocki Roszkowska, Stec, Ciobanu Kaczmarek, 2016 but differs in lacking eyes, having differently shaped claws (the terminal portion of both claw branches are longer and more slender), and similar egg processes but not identically shaped, with almost invisible ornamentation on the basal portion.
Keywords: Tardigrada, Eutardigrada, Macrobiotus cf. coronatus, Mesobiotus helenae sp. nov..