Vol. 61, 2022

(update: 2022.3.18)

Macrobiotus naginae sp. nov., a New Xerophilous Tardigrade Species from Rokua Sand Dunes (Finland)

Matteo Vecchi^1,*, Daniel Stec^2,3, Vuori Tommi¹, Serge Ryndov¹, Justine Chartrain

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¹Department of Biological and Environmental Science, University of Jyvaskyla, PO Box 35, FI-40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland. *Correspondence: E-mail: matteo.vecchi15@gmail.com (Vecchi).
E-mail: tommi.o.vuori@student.jyu.fi (Tommi); reraom7@gmail.com (Ryndov); justine.j.chartrain@jyu.fi (Chartrain); sara.calhim@jyu.fi (Calhim)
²Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals, Polish Academy of Sciences, Sławkowska 17, 31-016 Kraków, Poland. E-mail: daniel.stec@isez.pan.krakow.pl (Stec)
³Department of Invertebrate Evolution, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Faculty of Biology, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 9, 30-387 Kraków, Poland.

Received 19 November 2021 / Accepted 11 March 2022
Communicated by Benny K.K. Chan

Animals that colonize soil show specific adaptations to soil. Compared to closely related species living on the surface, the limbs of soil-dwelling animals are often shortened, reduced, or absent to allow a less restricted passage through cavities between soil particles. This pattern of limb reduction has also been observed in tardigrades, where multiple lineages that colonized the below-ground habitat show independent reduction and/or loss of legs and claws. In the tardigrade superfamily Macrobiotoidea, leg and claw reductions are a common trait found in the Macrobiotus pseudohufelandi complex. This rarely found species complex currently contains four nominal taxa. Here we describe, with the use of integrative taxonomy, Macrobiotus naginae sp. nov., a new species in the Macrobiotus pseudohufelandi complex from inland sand dunes in Finland. We also provide a dichotomous key to the Macrobiotus pseudohufelandi complex to assist with their identification in future studies.

Key words: Tardigrada, Macrobiotus pseudohufelandi complex, Sand dunes, Taxonomy, Systematics, Soil habitat.

Citation: Kim SL, Choi H, Eyun S, Kim D, Yu OH. 2022. A new Branchipolynoe (Aphroditiformia: Polynoidae) scale worm from the Onnuri deep-sea hydrothermal vent field, northern Central Indian Ridge. Zool Stud 61:22. doi:10.6620/ZS.2022.61-22.

Supplementary materials: Table S1丨Table S2丨Table S3丨Appendix 1丨Appendix 2丨Appendix 3丨Appendix 4丨Appendix 5丨Appendix 6