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Issue: Vol. 5686 No. 4: 29 Aug. 2025
Type: Article
Published: 2025-08-29
DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.5686.4.6
Page range: 555-571
Abstract views: 157
PDF downloaded: 2

Integrative description of Pseudechiniscus (Meridioniscus) rosinae sp. nov. (Echiniscidae) with a discussion on Pseudechiniscus in Brazil (South America)

Laboratory of Evolutionary Meiofauna; Department of Animal Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratory of Evolutionary Meiofauna; Department of Animal Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratory of Evolutionary Meiofauna; Department of Animal Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Laboratory of Evolutionary Meiofauna; Department of Animal Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas; Campinas; São Paulo; Brazil
Department of Evolutionary Genetics and Biosystematics; Faculty of Biology; University of Gdańsk; Gdańsk; Wita Stwosza 59; 80-308; Gdańsk; Poland
Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań; Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6; 61-614 Poznań; Poland
Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań; Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6; 61-614 Poznań; Poland
Tardigrada Heterotardigrada integrative taxonomy Meridioniscus Neotropical new species Pseudechiniscus

Abstract

In the present study we describe Pseudechiniscus (Meridioniscus) rosinae sp. nov. from Brazil based on integrative taxonomic methods (using morphological and genetic analyses). Based on presence of small teeth/spines on the posterior margin of the pseudosegmental plate, the new species is most similar to Pse. (Mer.) celebesiensis, Pse. (Mer.) saltensis, Pse. (Mer.) santomensis, Pse. (Mer.) spinerectus, Pse. (Mer.) titianae and Pse. (Mer.) yunnanensis, but it differs from them mainly by the ventral sculpture and from some of them also by some other characters like presence of spurs on claws, different dorsal sculpture and morphometry. According to COI sequences, the new species is most similar to Pse. (Mer.) dreyeri with the genetic p-distance of 21.3%. We also propose the synonymisation of Pse. (Mer.) novaezeelandiae marinae reported from Brazil with newly described species. Finally, we discuss the taxonomic status of all Pseudechiniscus taxa reported from Brazil in the past and conclude that only two of them should be considered as present in Brazil, i.e. Pse. (Mer.) juanitae and Pse. (Mer.) rosinae sp. nov.

 

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How to Cite

Fassina, P.V., Brotto-Guidetti, E., Garraffoni, A.R.S., Santos, D.D.C., Mioduchowska, M., Warguła, J. & Kaczmarek, Łukasz (2025) Integrative description of Pseudechiniscus (Meridioniscus) rosinae sp. nov. (Echiniscidae) with a discussion on Pseudechiniscus in Brazil (South America). Zootaxa, 5686 (4), 555–571. https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5686.4.6