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

TY - JOUR

T1 - An integrative description of Mesobiotus ethiopicus sp. nov. (Tardigrada: Eutardigrada: Parachela: Macrobiotidae: harmsworthi group) from the northern Afrotropic region

AU - Stec, Daniel

AU - Kristensen, Reinhardt Møbjerg

PY - 2017

Y1 - 2017

N2 - 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 (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 (Dastych, 1985) and M. peterseni (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.

AB - 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 (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 (Dastych, 1985) and M. peterseni (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.

KW - 18S rRNA

KW - 28S rRNA

KW - Africa

KW - COI

KW - Ethiopia

KW - Integrative taxonomy

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85030257111&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3906/zoo-1701-47

DO - 10.3906/zoo-1701-47

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85030257111

SN - 1300-0179

VL - 41

SP - 800

EP - 811

JO - Turkish Journal of Zoology

JF - Turkish Journal of Zoology

IS - 5

ER -