Marine Tardigrada from the Mexican Caribbean with the description of Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae).

Marine tardigrades were sampled at three sites on Mexico's Caribbean coast. Eleven taxa were collected, one of which is described as a new species. Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is characterized by: asymmetric primary clavae; dorsal cuticle with a grid-like sculpture; claws with reduced accessory hooks; females with peduncles on only two digits (the external) of legs I-IV; males with peduncles only on the external digits of legs I-III and peduncles on all four digits of leg IV. Styraconyx robertoi sp. nov. is most similar to S. craticuliformis Chang Rho, 1998 and S. kristenseni Renaud-Mornant, 1981 by having asymmetric primary clavae but differs from S. craticuliformis mainly by the number of peduncles and from S. kristenseni mainly by the presence of a grid-like dorsal sculpture. Additionally, a comparison of material collected from the same region, but reported previously only as genus level records, was carried out in order to produce a refined list of the known Mexican marine tardigrade species.

Tardigrada of Ireland: a review of records and an updated checklist of species including a new addition to the Irish fauna.

The phylum Tardigrada was not recorded in Ireland until the Clare Island Survey of 1909-1911, with only rare subsequent reports on Irish tardigrade species. In recent decades, significant taxonomic revision has occurred within Tardigrada. This has resulted in the need for a review of all known historical records from Ireland and Northern Ireland in order to produce an updated checklist of valid taxa. The new checklist includes fifty-one tardigrade species and subspecies including a new addition to the Irish fauna reported herein, Echiniscus quadrispinosus quadrispinosus Richters, 1902 from Newtown, Ballyvaughan, Co. Clare.