Two new species of Tardigrada from moss cushions (<i>Grimmia</i> sp.) in a xerothermic habitat in northeast Tennessee (USA, North America), with the first identification of males in the genus <i>Viridiscus</i>

Abstract

Five species were found, including two species new to science: <i>Viridiscus miraviridis</i> sp. nov. and <i>Macrobiotus basiatus</i> sp. nov. <i>Viridiscus miraviridis</i> sp. nov. differs from other members of the genus mainly by having a different type of dorsal cuticle and some other, more subtle, morphometric characters. In addition to the two new species, <i>Viridiscus perviridis</i> and <i>Viridiscus viridissimus</i> were present, and males of <i>Vir. viridissimus</i> were found for the first time, the first record of males in the genus <i>Viridiscus</i>. <i>Macrobiotus basiatus</i> sp. nov. is most similar to <i>Macrobiotus nelsonae</i>, but it differs from <i>Mac. nelsonae</i> mainly by the stylet supports being situated in a more anterior position, shorter and narrower egg processes, and a smaller number of areoles around the egg processes. Moreover, the identification of <i>Milnesium inceptum</i> was confirmed as the first record for the USA by analysis of COI.