Abstract
The findings of an investigation of the tardigrade fauna associated with beech (Fagus sylvatica) leaf litter in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland are reported. The present study is the first to specifically target this microhabitat in either country. Tardigrades were extracted from 16 samples of leaf litter obtained from seven locations (one in Ireland and six in Scotland). Twenty five tardigrade taxa were encountered including seven that represent new records for the Republic of Ireland (Pseudechiniscus sp. nov., Diphascon pingue group sp., Hypsibius cf. convergens, Hypsibius cf. scabropygus, Itaquascon cf. globuliferum, Ursulinius sp. nov., and Minibiotus sp. nov.) and four for Scotland (Bertolanius weglarskae, Hypsibius cf. scabropygus, Adropion belgicae and Pilatobius ramazzottii). The collection of several taxa that either represent new records or undescribed species within a small number of samples demonstrates the importance for researchers to include leaf litter when assessing and reporting the tardigrade biodiversity of an area.
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