Macrobiotus polypiformis sp. nov.

, a new tardigrade (Macrobiotidae; hufelandi

group) from the Ecuadorian Pacific coast, with remarks on the claw abnormalities
in eutardigrades

Statement of the Problem or Issue Ma. kazmierskii Kaczmarek & Michalczyk,

discussed 2009, known only from Southern Argentina)
(Kczmarek et al. 2015, 2016).
Out of 1200 species of Phylum
Tardigrada only 227 taxa have been reported The paper discussed a new species of
from South America. Tardigrades can only be the group hufelandi, which is the
seen residing along terrestrial, freshwater and Macrobiotus polypiformis sp.nov., in the
marine environments. Base from the region of Ecuador Pacific coast, in the
numbers that were given the Ecuador has the Province of Manabi.
least reported species of tardigrades up to the
Approach/Methods
present time.
The study used a combination approach of
The Macrobiotus hufelandi group
SEM observation with DNA sequencing and
have a 42 known species (Stec et al. 2015;
in vitro culturing. Moss sample is collected
Bakowski et al. 2016). Majority of hufelandi
from a concrete wall on the 3rd of January
group has its defined contribution (e.g., Ma.
2015 in the Province of Manabi, Ecuador. 96
iharosi Pilato, Binda &Catanzaro, 1991,
tardigrades are extracted but no egg of the
known from Democratic Republic of Congo
new specimen is present. From 96, 12
the Republic of South Africa and Tanzania;
specimens were placed in a Petri dish that
Ma. madegassus Maucci, 1993, known only
contains “Żywiec Zdrój” spring water anda
from Madagascar; Ma. patgonicus Maucc,
unicellular freshwater algae (Chlorococcum
1988 known only from Argentina and Chile)
sp. and Chlorella sp.) to acquire eggs, and the
or it can be seen from where the specimen is
other 84 is mounted on microscope slides
found (e.g., Ma. anemone Meyer, Domingue
using the Hoyer’s medium. After a week, 7
& Hilton, 2014, known only from Louisiana
adults and 29 eggs are collected in the
(USA); Ma. kristenseni Guidetti, Peluffo,
culture.
Rocha, Cesari & Moly de Peluffo, 2013 or
Another sample extractions and culture were
made and resulted to 25 adults and 15 eggs.
It was later on prepared for SEM analysis ad
DNA extraction and sequencing.
They also used an Olympus BX41 PCM with
an ARTCAM-300Mi digital camera and
Olympus BX63 DIC with Olympus XC10
camera to obtain measurements and
photomicrographs.
Few individuals were used for DNA isolation
and sequencing. The objective is to amplify
four molecular markers. DNA extraction is
carried out according to the protocol by
margins of the terminal disc, lower number of
processes on the egg circumference.
And from Genotypic basis, I was approved
using BLAST that there is no sequence that
matches the obtained sequence from the Ma.
polypiformis from the GenBank.
In summary, the closest to the new species is
Ma. paulinae (KT951668) and it differs from
the new species by a genetic distance of
nearly 21%.
Critique
To further strengthen the understanding of

Casquet et al. (2012). The sequence that was the readers, the researchers should consider

obtained in the four DNA fragments were giving more details about the illustration that

checked using BLAST to confirm the identity were presented, and also add more definition

with the sequences in GenBank. of terms. Most of the terms included may not
be familiar to the new readers, in addition the
Major Conclusion
illustration may be hard to follow if you do
Our new species Macrobiotus polypiformis not know the terms and does not know how
sp. Nov., is most similar to Ma. paulinae Stec to read an SEM image.
et al., 2015. In Morphological basis their
differentiation comes from the cuticle having
large pores (0.9-1.2 μm in Ma. polypiformis
sp. nov. vs 0.3–0.5 μm in Ma. pauliane),
smooth cuticle, patch of granulation from
legs I–IV, numbers of teeth in the first band
in oral cavity differs (3–4 rows in Ma.
polypiformis sp. nov. vs a single row in Ma.
paulinae), reticulum mesh is larger in
diameter covering the surface of the egg,