A New Species of Bisexual Milnesium (Eutardigrada: Apochela) Having Aberrant Claws from Innhovde, Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica.

There have been several records in the last 60 years for East Antarctica for Milnesium tardigradum Doyère, 1840 sensu lato, now considered a species complex. During the 56th Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition summer operation (2014-2015), a new tardigrade species in the genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840 was found in an ice-free Innhovde area along Lützow-Holm Bay, Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica. The new species has aberrant claws with four to seven points on each secondary claw branch, which distinguishes it from other Milnesium species. A male specimen was found in the population and evidence showed that an isolated adult female moulted twice without oviposition. This strongly suggested bisexual reproduction for this population. The new species, Milnesium rastrum sp. nov., is described with its phylogenetic position and a discussion on the reproductive strategies for the harsh environments.

Beautiful Claws of a Tiny Water Bear: a Review and Proposal for Claw Configuration.

Tardigrades in the genus Milnesium have complex double claws on each leg, which consist of two slender primary branches and two basal secondary branches. The latter usually have two or three hooks. For more than a century, taxonomists have had great difficulties evaluating the claw variation in species identification in Milnesium. This review explains the complicated story and proposes a new notation system for Milnesium claw configuration with a discussion about anterior-posterior axes on tardigrade legs.

Mitochondrial alternative oxidase contributes to successful tardigrade anhydrobiosis.

Anhydrobiosis can be described as an adaptation to lack of water that enables some organisms, including tardigrades, to survive extreme conditions, even some that do not exist on Earth. The cellular mechanisms underlying anhydrobiosis are still not completely explained including the putative contribution of mitochondrial proteins. Since mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX), described as a drought response element in plants, was recently proposed for various invertebrates including tardigrades, we investigated whether AOX is involved in successful anhydrobiosis of tardigrades. Milnesium inceptum was used as a model for the study. We confirmed functionality of M. inceptum AOX and estimated its contribution to the tardigrade revival after anhydrobiosis of different durations. We observed that AOX activity was particularly important for M. inceptum revival after the long-term tun stage but did not affect the rehydration stage specifically. The results may contribute to our understanding and then application of anhydrobiosis underlying mechanisms.

Trichoderma infection of limno-terrestrial tardigrades.

Interactions between fungi and tardigrades have scarcely been described. The few studies that address such relationships suggest a primarily parasitic nature for various fungal taxa, including the infectious chytridiomycetes. The aim of this study was to determine the identity of a fungus growing on a tardigrade of the genus Diaforobiotus and if it could infect other tardigrade genera. Using morphological analysis and ITS barcoding, we identified a mold isolate belonging to the Trichoderma harzianum species complex and found that it infected Diaforobiotus tardigrades, as well as animals in the eutardigrade genus Milnesium, and heterotardigrade genus Viridiscus.

Tolerance to Anhydrobiotic Conditions Among Two Coexisting Tardigrade Species Differing in Life Strategies.

Water availability is one of the most important factors for terrestrial life. Terrestrial habitats may periodically become dry, which can be overcome by an organism's capability to undergo anhydrobiosis. In animals, this phenomenon has been reported for invertebrates, with tardigrades being the best-known. However, different tardigrade species appear to significantly differ in their anhydrobiotic abilities. While several studies have addressed this issue, established experimental protocols for tardigrade dehydration differ both within and among species, leading to ambiguous results. Therefore, we apply unified conditions to estimate intra-and interspecies differences in anhydrobiosis ability reflected by the return to active life. We analysed Milnesium inceptum and Ramazzottius subanomalus representing predatory and herbivorous species, respectively, and often co-occur in the same habitat. The results indicated that the carnivorous Mil. inceptum displays better anhydrobiosis survivability than the herbivorous Ram. subanomalus. This tendency to some degree coincides with the time of "waking up" since Mil. inceptum showed first movements and full activity of any first individual later than Ram. subanomalus. The movements of all individuals were however observed to be faster for Mil. inceptum. Differences between the experimental groups varying in anhydrobiosis length were also observed: the longer tun state duration, the more time was necessary to return to activity.

Two new species of the genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840 (Tardigrada, Apochela, Milnesiidae) from Madagascar.

The knowledge of the diversity and distribution of tardigrades on Madagascar is rather poor. To date, only 13 tardigrade taxa have been reported from this region (including one Milnesium species). We examined 46 specimens belonging to two new-to-science species of the genus Milnesium described herein using an integrative approach, including classical morphology and molecular marker (COI, ITS-2 and 28S rRNA) analysis. The species were found in two moss and lichen samples collected in the Ivohibory forest in Fianarantsoa Province. Milnesium matheusi sp. nov., with claw configuration [3-3]-[3-3] and rather wide buccal tube, morphologically is most similar to: Mil. beatae Roszkowska, Ostrowska & Kaczmarek, 2015, Mil. bohleberi Bartels, Nelson, Kaczmarek & Michalczyk, 2014, Mil. eurystomum Maucci, 1991, Mil. shilohae Meyer, 2015 and Mil. tumanovi Pilato, Sabella & Lisi, 2016; however, it differs from these by morphometric characteristics. Milnesium wrightae sp. nov., by the presence of four points on secondary branches of claws IV, is most similar to Mil. quadrifidum Nederström, 1919. However, Mil. wrightae sp. nov. differs from Mil. quadrifidum by claw configuration ([4-4]-[4-4] in Mil. quadrifidum vs. [3-3]-[4-4] in Mil. wrightae sp. nov.), but also by the position of the fourth points on secondary branches of claws IV, which are located near the base of the claw in the new species and near the top of the claw in Mil. quadrifidum. Genotypic analysis showed that Mil. matheusi sp. nov. is most similar to Milnesium sp. (28S rRNA), Mil. variefidum (COI) and Mil. t. tardigradum (ITS-2) while Mil. wrightae sp. nov. is most similar to Milnesium sp. (28S rRNA), Mil. variefidum (COI) and Mil. matheusi (ITS-2). Five Milnesium taxa are recorded from the African region, including the two new species from Madagascar reported in this study.

The genus Milnesium Doyère, 1840 (Tardigrada) in South America with descriptions of two new species from Argentina and discussion of the feeding behaviour in the family Milnesiidae.

BACKGROUND: The diversity and distribution of the tardigrades in South America are rather poor and selective, as is information about their feeding behaviour and diet. To date, only ca. 210 tardigrade taxa have been reported from the region of South America. In the present paper, we provide an update of the distribution of the genus Milnesium inSouth America and discuss some aspects of the feeding behaviour in the family Milnesiidae. RESULTS: In seven moss samples collected in the Argentinean province of Río Negro, 31 specimens, 4 exuviae and 32 eggs belonging to the genus Milnesium were found. Among them, four species were identified: Milnesium argentinum sp. nov., Milnesium beatae sp. nov., Milnesium brachyungue and Milnesium granulatum. By its dorsal sculpture,M.argentinum sp.nov. is most similar to M.beatae sp.nov., Milnesiumbeasleyi andMilnesiumberladnicorum, butit differs from M.beasleyi andM.berladnicorum mainlyby having a different claw configuration and from M. beatae and M. beasleyi by having stylet supports inserted in a more caudal position and by some other morphometriccharacters. In the width of its buccal tube and the claw configuration [3-3]-[3-3], M.beatae sp.nov. is most similar to Milnesiumbohleberi,M.brachyungue andMilnesiumeurystomum,but it differs from them mainly by having a sculptured dorsal cuticle and by some other morphometric characters. CONCLUSIONS: The study discusses distribution and taxonomic problems of the Milnesium species known from South America. As of now, nine Milnesium taxa are known from this region (including two new species reported in this paper). Additionally, the study broadens our knowledge of tardigrades' feeding behaviour, provides some details about their diet and suggests that the type of prey chosen by some species belonging to the family Milnesiidae may be associated with the width of their buccal tube.