Mesobiotus datanlanicus, Stec, 2019

Stec, Daniel, 2019, Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov., a new tardigrade species (Macrobiotidae: Mesobiotus harmsworthi group) from Lâm Đ ồng Province in Vietnam, Zootaxa 4679 (1), pp. 164-180 : 168

Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov.

( Tables 3–4 , Figures 1–4 )

Material examined: 19 animals (including one simplex), 24 eggs mounted on microscope slides in Hoyer’s medium (some of the eggs were embrionated), four eggs fixed on SEM stubs and three specimens and one egg processed for DNA sequencing.

Type locality: 11°53’59”N, 108°26’57”E; 1,316 m asl: Vietnam, Lâm Đ ồng Province, shaded rocks near the Datanla Waterfall (approximately six kilometres from Dalat, the capital of the province), valley with a tourist trail, moss from a rock, coll. Daniel Stec and Krzysztof Miler, August 2018 .

Etymology: The species is named after the Datanla Waterfall amusement park where it was discovered.

Type depositories: Holotype: slide VN.026.01 with one paratype and 17 paratypes (slides: VN.026.*, where the asterisk can be substituted by any of the following numbers: 2–5, 12–17) and 24 eggs (slides: VN.026.*: 6–11, 18) are deposited at the Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research , Jagiellonian University , Gronostajowa 9, 30-387, Kraków, Poland.

Figures

FIGURE 1. Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov.—PCM images of habitus, leg’s cuticle morphology and claws: A—dorso-ventral projection (holotype); B—granulation on the external surface of leg II (paratype); C—granulation on dorsal surface of leg IV (paratype); D—claws I with smooth lunules (paratype); E—claws IV with slightly dentate lunules (paratype). Filled arrow indicates granulation on the external surface of leg, empty arrow indicates a pulvinus-like cuticular bulge on the internal surface of leg, filled flat arrowhead indicates muscle attachments, empty flat arrowhead indicates cuticular, transversal bar under the claws, empty indented arrowhead indicates dentation on lunules IV and filled indented arrowhead indicates horseshoe structure connecting the anterior and the posterior claw. Scale bar in μm.

FIGURE 2. Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov.—DIC images of the buccal apparatus: A—an entire buccal apparatus (holotype); B–C—the oral cavity armature of the paratype, dorsal and ventral teeth respectively; D–E—placoid morphology, dorsal (holotype) and ventral (paratype) placoids respectively. Empty arrowheads indicate additional teeth between the second and the third band of teeth, filled arrowheads indicate subterminal constrictions in the third macroplacoid. Scale bars in μm.

FIGURE 3. Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov.—PCM images of the eggs: A—midsection under ×400 magnification; B—surface under ×1000 magnification; C–H—midsections of six different egg processes. Filled indented arrowheads indicate the areoles around the egg processes, filled flat arrowheads indicate spines which terminate finger-shaped appendages at the processes top, empty flat arrowheads indicate a bubble-like structure, empty indented arrowhead indicate deeply depressed areole seen on the process midsection. Scale bars in μm.

FIGURE 4. Mesobiotus datanlanicus sp. nov.—SEM images of eggs: A—entire view of the egg; B—details of the egg surface between processes; C–D—egg processes; E–F—top part of the processes divided into several short finger-shaped appendages. Filled flat arrowheads indicate spines which terminate the finger-shaped appendages, empty indented arrowheads indicate deeply depressed areoles seen in lateral view. Scale bars in μm.