An integrative description of Mesobiotus ethiopicus sp. nov. (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Parachela: Macrobiotidae: harmsworthi group) from the northern Afrotropic region

Authors : Daniel STEC, Reinhardt Møbjerg KRISTENSEN

Pages : 800-811

View : 19 | Download : 9

Publication Date : 0000-00-00

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :A new species of the Mesobiotus harmsworthi group is described from Ethiopia. An integrative taxonomy approach was applied by combining morphological and morphometric analyses-imaging under phase contrast and scanning electron microscopy with molecular analysis insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and COI markers);-to cross-verify the status of the population as a new species. The specimens of Mesobiotus ethiopicus sp. nov. are most similar to two taxa of the harmsworthi complex: M. harmsworthi obscurus insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Dastych, 1985); and M. peterseni insert ignore into journalissuearticles values(Maucci, 1991);. Nevertheless, the new species can be easily distinguished from the first of these taxa by the absence of additional teeth in the oral cavity and by a different accessory point morphology on the claws, and it can be distinguished from the second species mostly by a completely different egg process anatomy. Mesobiotus ethiopicus sp. nov. is only the second tardigrade species formally described as new for science from Ethiopia so far.
Keywords : Africa, 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, COI, Ethiopia, integrative taxonomy