Tardigrades of Israel with description of four new species

Abstract

Only few species of tardigrades have been recorded from Israel. In this paper we report an additional 20 species, 18 of which are new records for that geographical area; four (Bryodelphax meronensis sp. nov., Macrobiotus dimentmani sp. nov., Pseudobiotus hirsutellus sp. nov. and Mixibius schnurae sp. nov.) are new to science. Bryodelphax meronensis sp. nov. differs from similar species (B. alzirae, B. tatrensis and B. mateusi) in details of the cuticular ornamentation and the absence of papilla on the hind legs. It also differs from B. alzirae by the presence of 12 lateral intersegmental platelets, instead of 6. It differs from B. atlantis in details of the plate ornamentation, lack of eyes, and shorter internal buccal cirri. Macrobiotus dimentmani sp. nov. differs from M. diffusus with more slender claws, the external claws slightly longer, and in characteristics of the eggs (the apical portion of the conical processes is subdivided into two to six long, flexible terminal points that are not very thin filaments; each process has a ring of basal dots, the egg shell has an obvious granulation). Mixibius schnurae sp. nov. differs from all other known species within the genus by characteristics of the cuticular ornamentation; in addition it differs from M. ornatus and M. sutirae in having the stylet supports inserted on the buccal tube in a more cephalic position; and from M. ninguidus in having longer buccal tube and shorter second placoid. Pseudobiotus hirsutellus sp. nov. differs from P. vladimiri in the presence of eye spots; cuticular spine-shaped processes present on the central portion of the body as well as the anterior and posterior portions; wider buccal tube, longer placoids; longer claws that are without accessory points; and the absence of oval papillae on the first three pairs of legs. The new species differs from P. spinifer in having less numerous and smaller spine-shaped cuticular processes; wider buccal tube; longer placoids; and the absence of oval papilla on the first three pairs of legs.