Diversity and dynamics of an interstitial Tardigrada population in the Meloria Shoals, Ligurian Sea, with a redescription ofBatillipes similis(Heterotardigrada, Batillipedidae)

Abstract

Quantitative samples of sediment for the study of the meiofauna were collected monthly beween March 1996 and February 1997 from a 7-m-deep site in the Meloria Shoals, Livorno Italy. In the Tuscan Shoals, 16 species of tardigrades were found belonging to the families Stygarctidae, Halechiniscidae, and Batillipedidae. Megastygarctides orbiculatus and Actinarctus doryphorus are reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, and a redescription of Batillipes similis is proposed.

Further studies on the marine tardigrade fauna from Sardinia (Italy)

“…), but (also) on the chemical composition of the sediment. The intertidal sands are in fact mainly siliceous, whereas the subtidal ones are calcareous with organogenous debris, known to be more attractive to meiofauna (Gallo D'Addabbo et al 1999). Moreover, subtidal environments seem to be particularly suitable to the family Halechiniscidae, showing a much higher number of species in comparison to other families in this environment.…”

“…Since then, data about the Sardinian fauna have successively been obtained from different coastal localities intertidally and subtidally, with each revealing a high species richness, particularly in subtidal sediments (Grimaldi de Zio et al 1983, 1990aD'Addabbo Gallo et al 1989de Zio Grimaldi et al 1992Gallo D'Addabbo et al 1999, 2005Hansen et al 2003).…”

The ‘Hyena Female’ of Tardigrades and Descriptions of Two New Species of Megastygarctides (Arthrotardigrada: Stygarctidae) from Saudi Arabia

“…In addition, M. orbiculatus has also been reported from the Mediterranean Sea (Gallo D'Addabbo et al, 1999;De Zio Grimaldi and Gallo D'Addabbo, 2001;De Zio Grimaldi et al, 2003). Among the tardigrades of the Arabian Gulf, we found two new species of Megastygarctides, both possessing a number of peculiar characters of which some are new within the family Stygarctidae, and some are new even within marine tardigrades.…”

“…In addition to this type material, we have examined two specimens of Megastygarctides collected in the Mediterranean Sea and reported as M. orbiculatus (see Gallo D'Addabbo et al, 1999;De Zio Grimaldi and Gallo D'Addabbo, 2001;De Zio Grimaldi et al, 2003). Unfortunately, the holotype of M. isounguis was partly destroyed in the mail and only a superficial examination could be performed; however it is clearly a valid species.…”

Ocorrência de Parastygarctus sterreri RENAUD-MORNANT, 1970 e Halechiniscus perfectus SCHULZ, 1955 (TARDIGRADA, HETEROTARDIGRADA) no arquipélago de São Pedro e São Paulo, RN, Brasil

“…O fundo da enseada é constituído por sedimentos provenientes da atividade biológica e da desagregação das rochas que constituem o arquipélago (Campos et al 2005). Esta família tem ocorrência referida para a Itália (Grimaldi de Zio et al 1983a, 1983b, D'Addabbo Gallo et al 1987, 1989, Gallo D'Addabbo et al 1999 (Schulz 1955). Apresentam apêndices cefálicos com uma parte basal grossa, de aspecto tubular.…”