Tardigrades from Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823 nests on the Argentine Islands (maritime Antarctic)

Tardigrada in Antarctic regions are poorly known. The aim of this study was to examine for tardigrades the nests material of the kelp gull ( Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823) in maritime Antarctic and discuss the possible ways of migration and dispersion of tardigrades by birds. We also discuss...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar biology 2018-02, Vol.41 (2), p.283-301
Main Authors: Kaczmarek, Łukasz, Parnikoza, Ivan, Gawlak, Magdalena, Esefeld, Jan, Peter, Hans-Ulrich, Kozeretska, Iryna, Roszkowska, Milena
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biodiversity
Biology
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Birds
Bryodelphax
Bryophytes
Communities
Dung
Ecology
Ecosystems
Eggs
Guano
Gulls
Hypsibius
Invertebrates
Islands
Kelp
Larus dominicanus
Lichens
Life Sciences
Microbiology
Microorganisms
Microscopy
Migration
Mineral nutrients
Morphology
Morphometry
Mosses
Nematodes
Nests
New species
Nutrients
Oceanography
Original Paper
Plant Sciences
Polar environments
Seabirds
Tardigrada
Taxa
Translocation
Tundra
Tundra ecology
Zoology
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Summary:Tardigrada in Antarctic regions are poorly known. The aim of this study was to examine for tardigrades the nests material of the kelp gull ( Larus dominicanus Lichtenstein, 1823) in maritime Antarctic and discuss the possible ways of migration and dispersion of tardigrades by birds. We also discuss the influence of bird’s guano on the communities of microscopic invertebrates (mainly tardigrades). In the positive samples (mainly bryophytes and lichens) of seven Larus dominicanus nests, collected on Ardley Island (near Fildes Peninsula) and Argentine Islands, ca. 850 tardigrades and their eggs were found. In total, 13 taxa (including Ramajendas sp.) were identified, and four are new to science: Bryodelphax olszanowskii sp. nov., Diphascon puchalskii sp. nov., D. rudnickii sp. nov. and Hypsibius conwentzii sp. nov.. Bryodelphax olszanowskii sp. nov. differs from known Bryodelphax species in the weglarskae group mainly by having a different ventral plate configuration. Belonging to the pingue group, D. puchalskii sp. nov. differs from other species by some quantitative characters and D. rudnickii sp. nov. by having the first and second macroplacoids situated very close to each other. Hypsibius conwentzii sp. nov. differs from other species of the genus Hypsibius , with two macroplacoids and septulum, by some morphological and morphometric characters. Summarizing, Antarctic tardigrades are a very diverse group, and birds can be responsible for translocation of small invertebrates (including tardigrades) inside of various parts of plants and lichens. They also deposit large amounts of guano, which provides a lot of nutrients for poor tundra ecosystems and support small invertebrate communities.
ISSN:0722-4060
1432-2056
DOI:10.1007/s00300-017-2190-4