Article

Dactylobiotus luci, a new freshwater tardigrade (Eutardigrada: Macrobiotidae) from theRwenzori Mountains, Uganda

Published in: African Zoology
Volume 43 , issue 2 , 2008 , pages: 150–155

DOI: 10.1080/15627020.2008.11657232

Author(s): Łukasz Kaczmarek Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Poland , Łukasz Michalczyk Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Conservation, School of Biological Sciences, U.K. , Hilde Eggermont Department of Biology, Limnology Unit, Belgium

Keywords: Tardigrada , Dactylobiotus dervizi , Dactylobiotus luci sp. nov , alpine pool , Rwenzori , Uganda

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Abstract

A new freshwater eutardigrade, Dactylobiotus luci is described from a permanent marsh pool (Zaphania’s Pool) at 4225 m elevation in the Alpine zone of the Rwenzori Mountains, Uganda. The new species is most similar to D. dervizi Biserov, 1998 in the shape of the egg processes, absence of papillae and absence of eyes, but differs from it mainly by a different appearance of macroplacoids, by having tips of the egg processes usually sharp, not divided and more slender, and by several morphometric characters of eggs and adults. The new species was found in fairly acidic (pH < 6) Sphagnum-Carex fens bordering/extending into the pool. So far, it has only been recorded in one other high-elevation water body in Rwenzori in a similar habitat.

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