Tardigrades of North America: Oreella chugachii, a new species (Heterotardigrada, Echiniscoide, Oreellidae) from Alaska

Abstract

A new species of tardigrade in the genus Oreella (Heterotardigrada, Echiniscoide, Oreellidae) is described from Girdwood, Alaska, U.S.A., North America. Oreella chugachii, new species, has single granulation, a short cirri A, and a small primary clava. The pharyngeal tube is long and flexible, eyes may be present, and the eggs have small pointed tips on their projections. In addition, a segment of the 18s rDNA gene is filed with GenBank as part of the description. The discovery in the northern hemisphere of a population of a new species of Oreella, a previously monotypic, Gondwanian genus, expands the biogeography of what is believed to be a foundation group for limno-terrestrial tardigrades.