An integrative description of Minibiotus ioculator sp. nov. from the Republic of South Africa with notes on Minibiotus pentannulatus Londoño et al., 2017 (Tardigrada: Macrobiotidae)

Abstract

The genus Minibiotus is morphologically diverse, which may suggest its polyphyletic character. However, scarce genetic data and often also the lack of detailed morphological data currently do not allow for the verification of the relationships within this genus. Here, for the very first time, we provide an integrative description of a new Minibiotus species. Minibiotus ioculator sp. nov. from the Republic of South Africa differs from other congeners mainly by egg ornamentation with processes on the egg shell that resemble the hat of a royal jester. We also provide new taxonomic data on Minibiotus pentannulatus based on a population newly found in Tanzania, which constitutes the first African record of this species originally described from South America. Our study involved both classical taxonomic methods, which include morphological and morphometric analyses conducted with the use of light and scanning electron microscopy, and genetic data in the form of DNA sequences of four markers (three nuclear: 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS-2, and one mitochondrial: COI). The results of this study allow a discussion of species composition within Minibiotus and question the validity of the current diagnosis of the genus.