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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Macrobiotidae Members:
Macrobiotus hibiscus
Macrobiotus hufelandi
Macrobiotus margoae
Macrobiotus martini
Macrobiotus nelsonae
Mesobiotus harmsworthi
Mesobiotus n. species
Minibiotus intermedius
Minibiotus jonesorum
Minibiotus lazzaroi
Paramacrobiotus aff. areolatus
Paramacrobiotus aff. richtersi
Paramacrobiotus halei
Paramacrobiotus tonollii
6 NC Records
Minibiotus jonesorum
Meyer, Lyons, Nelson & Hinton, 2011 - No Common Name
Habitus, DIC
Taxonomy
Class:
Eutardigrada
Order:
Parachela
Family:
Macrobiotidae
Checklist Number:
1860.0
Synonym:
Minibiotus pustulatus (Bartels et al. 2021)
Taxonomic Comments:
Minibiotus jonesorum was first discovered in Michigan. DNA sequences for M. intermedius and others in the genus are available in GenBank, but not for this species. In Bartels 2021 this species was identified as M. pustulatus. This updated species designation postdates Bartels 2021.
Species Notes:
Terrestrial. Appears to be an eastern N. Am. endemic. Reports from Canada to Georgia.
Identification
Online resources:
Online Photographs:
Google
,
GBIF
Species Description:
A Minibiotus with three macroplacoids increasing in length from anterior to posterior, lacking microplacoid and leg granulation and having ten transverse bands of polygonal pores which increase in size from anterior to posterior (Figs 3 and 4; Table 2). Eyespots present. Eggs not found.
-Meyer et al. 2011
Note: June 2023 specimens from GSMNP and Buncombe Co., originally identified as Minibiotus pustulatus, were compared to the type specimens of Minibiotus jonesorum. Unlike pustulatus and like jonesorum, the NC specimens have eyes, and both anterior and posterior pore sizes and shapes agree with jonesorum. NC specimens and type specimens also have claw bars on all legs, even though these were not described in the original description (Meyer et al. 2011).
Body Length:
205-382 microns.
Key Characters:
Transverse bands of large polygonal pores increasing in size posteriorly, anterior pores small and "trefoil" shaped. Differs from M. jonesorum by lack of microplacoid, and lack of dentate lunules on IV.
Key Character Images
Claw IV with smooth lunules (PC) From Meyer et al. 2011.
Anterior dorsal cuticle. Note 3-part pores. (PC)
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:
Predominantly tree moss, but found in many other terrestrial substrates.
Abundance:
Rare in Nelson's Roan Mt. inventory. Rare in Bartels' Smokies inventory, making up 0.14% of terrestrial specimens collected.
Diet:
Herbivorous.
Reproduction:
Ornamented eggs deposited externally.
Observation Methods:
PC and DIC.
Wikipedia
Photo Gallery for
Minibiotus jonesorum
- No common name
Photos: 4
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Habitus, DIC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Buccal apparatus, DIC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Anterior, DIC
Recorded by: Bartels on 2002-04-07
Haywood Co.
Comment: Habitus, DIC