Abstract
Current knowledge of freshwater gastrotrich fauna from Brazil is underestimated as only two studies are available. The present communication is a taxonomic account of the first-ever survey of freshwater Gastrotricha in Minas Gerais State. Samplings were carried out yielding six species of three Chaetonotidae genera: Aspidiophorus cf. pleustonicus, Ichthydium cf. chaetiferum, Chaetonotus acanthocephalus, Chaetonotus heideri, Chaetonotus cf. succinctus, Chaetonotus sp., and also an undescribed species belonging to the genus Redudasys (incertae sedis): this is the first finding of specimens of Redudasys outside of original type locality. These preliminary observations suggest that the knowledge of the biodiversity of Gastrotricha in the Minas Gerais State, as well as in the whole Brazil, will certainly increase as further investigations are undertaken, and that freshwater Macrodasyida may be more common than previously thought.
Highlights
Gastrotricha are aquatic free-living microinvertebrates (< 1 mm), with a worldwide distribution in freshwater, estuarine, and marine benthic habitats where they are an important component of the benthos and periphyton (Hochberg and Litvaitis 2000; Balsamo and Todaro 2002; Balsamo et al 2005, 2008)
The findings presented here allow us to draw some remarks on the Gastrotricha of the State of Minas Gerais
It is worthwhile noting that a poor sampling effort has allowed us to obtain very interesting faunistic data and to identify seven distinct species, which suggest a high biodiversity of Gastrotricha in this State
Summary
Gastrotricha are aquatic free-living microinvertebrates (< 1 mm), with a worldwide distribution in freshwater, estuarine, and marine benthic habitats where they are an important component of the benthos and periphyton (Hochberg and Litvaitis 2000; Balsamo and Todaro 2002; Balsamo et al 2005, 2008). Many species are common and occasionally abundant, freshwater gastrotrichs are still insufficiently. S. Garraffoni et al / ZooKeys 60: 1–12 (2010)
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