The species Chaetonotus lacunosus Mock, 1979 is redescribed and refigured from specimens collected in littoral and shallow sublittoral sediments along the entire Italian coastline of the Mediterranean Sea and its adjacent waters. Six species new to science are described and figured: Chaetonotus apecbocbaetus, C. apolemmus, C. siciliensis, Halichaetonotus etrolomus, H. margaretae, and H. thalassopais. The proper nomenclature for Halichaetonotus decipiens (Remane, 1929) is noted, and a new combination is given: Musellifer delamarei (Renaud-Mornant, 1968) n. comb.
Marine Gastrotricha, both Macrodasyida and Chaetonotida, are the subject of an analytic review, citing taxonomic status of names, authorships of taxa, and those responsible for changes, in accordance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, 4 th ed. (1999). Notes are included with regard to taxonomic usage so as to guide workers in the future. Among the proposed novelties are: within Macrodasyida, to restrict the family Lepidodasyidae Remane, 1927 to the genus Lepidodasys Remane, 1926, and to establish a new family, Cephalodasyidae with Cephalodasys Remane, 1926 as its type-species to house the remaining genera and species that have been contained in the polyphyletic family Lepidodasyidae. Hemidasys agaso Claparède, 1867 is considered extinct, and the new name Tetranchyroderma antenniphorum is proposed for Tetranchyroderma antennatum Luporini, Magagnini & Tongiorgi, 1973; in addition, five species are here considered to be species inquirendae: Dactylopodola weilli d'Hondt, 1965, Paradasys nipponensis Sudzuki, 1976, Macrodasys indicus Kutty & Nair, 1969. Tetranchyroderma forceps d’Hondt & Balsamo, 2009 and Turbanella plana (Giard, 1904b). Among Chaetonotida: the Xenotrichula velox-species group Ruppert, 1979 and the Xenotrichula intermedia-species group Ruppert, 1979 were given each the rank of subgenus. Chaetonotus pleuracanthus Remane, 1926 is rejected as a synonym for Chaetonotus marinus Giard, 1904; Chaetonotus somniculosus Mock, 1979 is transferred to the genus Halichaetonotus, the new name Halichaetonotus euromarinus is proposed for Halichaetonotus spinosus Mock, 1979, and Xenotrichula carolinensis Ruppert, 1979 is re-established. Heteroxenotrichula variocirrata d'Hondt, 1966 is here considered to be species inquirenda.
A new genus, Dendropodola, and species, D. transitionalis, are described in the family Dactylopodolidae. Three new species, Cephalodasys hadrosomus, Mesodasys adenotubulatus, and Mesodasys ischiensis, are described in the family Lepidodasyidae. And, six new species, Pseudostomella etrusca, Ptychostomella tyrrhenica, Tetranchyroderma heterotubulatum, Tetranchyroderma hypopsilancrum, Tetranchyroderma pachysomum, and Tetranchyroderma thysanophorum, are described in the family Thaumastodermatidae. All were collected in littoral and shallow sublittoral sediments along the Italian coastline of the Mediterranean Sea and its adjacent waters.
BackgroundWithin an evolutionary framework of Gastrotricha Marinellina flagellata and Redudasys fornerise bear special interest, as they are the only Macrodasyida that inhabit freshwater ecosystems. Notwithstanding, these rare animals are poorly known; found only once (Austria and Brazil), they are currently systematised as incertae sedis. Here we report on the rediscovery of Redudasys fornerise, provide an account on morphological novelties and present a hypothesis on its phylogenetic relationship based on molecular data.Methodology/Principal FindingsSpecimens were surveyed using DIC microscopy and SEM, and used to obtain the 18 S rRNA gene sequence; molecular data was analyzed cladistically in conjunction with data from 42 additional species belonging to the near complete Macrodasyida taxonomic spectrum. Morphological analysis, while providing new information on taxonomically relevant traits (adhesive tubes, protonephridia and sensorial bristles), failed to detect elements of the male system, thus stressing the parthenogenetic nature of the Brazilian species. Phylogenetic analysis, carried out with ML, MP and Bayesian approaches, yielded topologies with strong nodal support and highly congruent with each other. Among the supported groups is the previously undocumented clade showing the alliance between Redudasys fornerise and Dactylopodola agadasys; other strongly sustained clades include the densely sampled families Thaumastodermatidae and Turbanellidae and most genera.Conclusions/SignificanceA reconsideration of the morphological traits of Dactylopodola agadasys in light of the new information on Redudasys fornerise makes the alliance between these two taxa very likely. As a result, we create Anandrodasys gen. nov. to contain members of the previously described D. agadasys and erect Redudasyidae fam. nov. to reflect this novel relationship between Anandrodasys and Redudasys. From an ecological perspective, the derived position of Redudasys, which is deeply nested within the Macrodasyida clade, unequivocally demonstrates that invasion of freshwater by gastrotrichs has taken place at least twice, in contrast with the single event hypothesis recently put forward.
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