Bryodelphax parvulus Thulin, 1928 sensu

Kaczmarek, Łukasz, Michalczyk, Łukasz & Mcinnes, Sandra J., 2015, Annotated zoogeography of non-marine Tardigrada. Part II: South America, Zootaxa 3923 (1), pp. 1-107 : 9

6. Bryodelphax parvulus Thulin, 1928 sensu lato [T]

Echiniscus intermedius Murray (Murray & Wailes 1913)

Echiniscus (Bryodelphax) parvulus Thulin, 1928 (de Barros 1942a)

Echiniscus (Bryodelphax) parvulus ( Mihelčič 1967)

Echiniscus (B.) parvulus ( Mihelčič, 1972)

Terra typica: Norway (Europe)

Argentina:

• 41°12′S, 71°50′W; 1,000 m asl: Rio Negro Province, Tronador (Ventisqueros) [Ventisquero Negro del Cerro Tronador], mosses and lichens on dry rocks and stones in full sun (3 samples), and dry soil. Mihelčič (1967)

• 41°58′S, 71°31′W; 390 m asl: Rio Negro Province, Bolson [El Bolsón], cypress grove, lichens on dry rocks in full sun, and moist soil (2 samples). Mihelčič (1967)

• Undefined localities cited according Mihelčič (1967), from mosses and lichens on trees, rocks and soil and a thin layer of leaf litter (6 samples). Mihelčič (1972)

Brazil:

• 20°33′S, 48°34′W; 550 m asl: São Paulo State, Barretos, mosses. de Barros (1942a)

Peru:

• 13°12′S, 69°38′W; 1–3,000 ft asl / 300–900 m asl: Madre de Dios Region, Tambopata Valley. Murray & Wailes (1913)

Record numbers: Argentina: 3, Brazil: 1, Peru: 1; total: 5.

Remarks: With the confusion between Bryodelphax and Bryochoerus ( Marcus 1939; Kristensen 1987; see above) and the questionable report of Echiniscus intermedius (= Bryochoerus intermedius ) ( Murray & Wailes (1913) from Bolivia (now Peru – see above) ( Marcus 1939), the presence of B. parvulus in Peru needs to be verified. Moreover, the considerable morphological variation of B. parvulus (e.g. the presence or absence of the spine and papilla on legs, etc.) suggests that this taxon may be a complex of closely related species each with limited geographic range rather than a single cosmopolitan species (see also Pilato et al. 2010). The actual geographic range and the presence of B. parvulus sensu lato in South America must be carefully verified.