Tardigrades of North Carolina
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Scientific Name:
Family:
BATILLIPEDIDAE
CALOHYPSIBIIDAE
DORYPHORIBIIDAE
ECHINISCIDAE
EOHYPSIBIIDAE
HALECHINISCIDAE
HYPSIBIIDAE
ISOHYPSIBIIDAE
ITAQUASCONIDAE
MACROBIOTIDAE
MICROHYPSIBIIDAE
MILNESIIDAE
MURRAYIDAE
PILATOBIIDAE
RAMAZZOTTIIDAE
RICHTERSIUSIDAE
STYGARCTIDAE
STYRACONYXIDAE
TANARCTIDAE
Order:
APOCHELA
"ARTHROTARDIGRADES"
ECHINISCOIDEA
PARACHELA
Class:
Heterotardigrada
Eutardigrada
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Hypsibiidae Members:
Diphascon higginsi
Diphascon nobilei
Diphascon pingue
Diphascon pinguiforme
Diphascon stappersi
Hypsibius convergens
Hypsibius microps
Hypsibius n. species
Hypsibius n. species (aff. dujardini)
Hypsibius pallidus
Hypsibius roanensis
Mixibius n. species
Mixibius saracenus
24 NC Records
Mixibius saracenus
(Pilato, 1973) - No Common Name
Habitus, PC
Taxonomy
Class:
Eutardigrada
Order:
Parachela
Family:
Hypsibiidae
Subfamily:
Incerta subfamilia
Checklist Number:
1340.0
Taxonomic Comments:
Species was identified by Roberto Bertolani. Matches European species morphologically, DNA sequences from Italian populations exist in GenBank, need fresh material from Smokies for further comparison.
Species Notes:
Freshwater. This is a new record for the U.S.
Identification
Online resources:
Online Photographs:
Google
,
GBIF
Species Description:
This genus is characterized by dual claw morphology: external claws of the Isohypsibius type; internal claws of modified Isohypsbius type with the secondary branch and the basal portion forming an angle slightly larger than 90°. Bucco-pharyngeal apparatus of the Mixibius type (Fig. 15D) with hooked pharyngeal apophyses. Placoids present, lunules absent in the known species.
Size up to 254 µm, colorless, eyes absent, cuticle smooth. The mouth opens in an anterio-ventral position and is lacking buccal lamellae. Buccal tube 26 µm long and 5 µm wide (in an example of 210 µm); insertion appendages of the stylet muscles in the shape of crests. Pharynx very large, elongated oval, with apophyses and two rod-shaped macroplacoids, of which the first, which is longer than the second, has a central constriction. Microplacoid absent. The doubleclaws of each leg are rather different from each other. The basal portion is very long and narrow, especially on the external claws, and the principal branch of this claw is longer and much more narrow than the corresponding of the internal claw. The accessory points are clearly visible on the principal branch of the claws of the 4th pair, less evident on the other claws. There are no lunules present and a cuticular thickening is lacking on all the legs. The species is aquatic, and was found in the stream of Saracena, near Maletto (Sicily) and later Ceraino, near Verona (Adige).
-Ramazzotti & Maucci 1983
Body Length:
Up to 254 microns.
Key Characters:
No eyes, smooth cuticle, claws and apophyses characteristic of genus, two rod-shaped macroplacoids (length 1>2).
Key Character Images
Drawing from Pilato & Binda 2010
claw drawing from Pilato & Binda 2010
ID Requirements:
Identifiable only by close inspection of key characters or by DNA analysis.
Distribution in North Carolina
Distribution:
County Map:
Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Dates:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)
Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Freshwater streams.
Abundance:
Common. This species makes up 1.49% of aquatic specimens collected in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Bartels' inventory.
Diet:
Probably herbivorous.
Reproduction:
Eggs unknown.
Observation Methods:
PC and DIC.
Wikipedia
Photo Gallery for
Mixibius saracenus
- No common name
Photos: 3
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Buccal apparatus, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Claws IV, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Habitus, PC