Vol. 45 No. 1, 2006

The Tardigrada Fauna of Mongolia (Central Asia) with a Description of Isohypsibius altai sp. nov. (Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae)

Lukasz Kaczmarek¹ and Lukasz Michalczyk^2,*

¹Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, A. Mickiewicz University, Umultowska 89, 61-614 Pozna´n, Poland E-mail: kacztar@poczta.fm
²Institute of Environmental Sciences, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 7, 30-387 Kraków, Poland E-mail: agnostic@poczta.fm

Lukasz Kaczmarek and Lukasz Michalczyk (2006) The Tardigrada fauna of Mongolia was analyzed on the basis of the historical literature, specimens collected in 1980 by A. Pacyna, and the present research (conducted in 2000). In this paper, a list of 62 species known from Mongolia is given. During the study, 15 species were identified as new to Mongolia and 6 as new to science. Five of the new species (Itaquascon mongolicus Kaczmarek et al., Platicrista horribilis Kaczmarek and Michalczyk, Bryodelphax asiaticus Kaczmarek and Michalczyk, Isohypsibius archangajensis Kaczmarek and Michalczyk and Minibiotus weglarskae Michalczyk et al., 2005) were described in separate papers, and the 6th species, Isohypsibius altai sp. nov. is described herein. It differs from the most-similar I. macrodactylus (Maucci) and I. irregibilis Biserov by the presence of only 2 macroplacoids in the pharynx and a narrower buccal tube. It also differs from I. irregibilis by the presence of microplacoids and the lack of a projection on the upper part of the internal claws. Diphascon sexbullatum Ito was recorded during the present research. This is only the 2nd record of this species, and the 1st microphotographs of this species are provided in this paper. A key is provided for determining the species currently reported from Mongolia.

Key words: New species, New records, Taxonomy, Faunistics.

*Correspondence: Present address: Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, UK.