Tardigrades of North Carolina
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View PDFMacrobiotidae Members: 31 NC Records

Macrobiotus nelsonae Guidetti, 1998 - No Common Name


Habitus, DIC
Taxonomy
Class: EutardigradaOrder: Parachela Family: Macrobiotidae Checklist Number: 1800.0 Synonym: Macrobiotus n. sp. 8, Macrobiotus recens, Macrobiotus recens sensu lato (see Bartels et al. 2021)
Taxonomic Comments: Currently no molecular data is available for this species.
Species Notes: Terrestrial. This species was first described from Roan Mt., TN. Reported only from Roan Mt and GSMNP. Apparently a Southern Appalachian endemic.
Identification
Online resources:Online Photographs: Google, GBIF                                                                                 
Species Description: Animals of large size. Smooth cuticle with pores. Eye-spots anterior. Wide buccal tube; evident buccal armature, with two consistent bands of teeth and with transverse crests. Two rod-shaped macroplacoids and microplacoid. Claws of the 'hufelandi' type, with lunulae. Eggs laid freely, with big conical reticulated processes inserted onto an areolate surface.
-Guidetti 1998
Body Length: 230-925 microns.
Key Characters: Buccal apparatus with 3 teeth rows, anterior teeth smaller than posterior, microplacoids long (>7 u), buccal tube very wide (=or> SSI to end of BT), pores small (<1.5 u).
Key Character Images
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: Soil / leaf litter. Rarely found in stream sediment.
Abundance: Common. This species makes up 1.95% of terrestrial specimens collected in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Bartels' inventory.
Diet: Carnivorous.
Reproduction: Ornamented eggs depsited externally.
Observation Methods: DIC and PC.
Wikipedia

 Photo Gallery for Macrobiotus nelsonae - No common name

Photos: 10

Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Egg, SEM. Guidetti 1998		Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Drawing, Guidetti 1998
Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Habitus, DIC		Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Pharynx and placoids, DIC.
Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Buccal apparatus, DIC		Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Mouth and buccal tube, DIC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Posterior-dorsal cuticle showing small pores.		Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Claws IV, PC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Posterior DIC		Recorded by: Bartels on 2003-07-15
Haywood Co.
Comment: Buccal apparatus, DIC