Tardigrades: an imaging approach, a record of occurrence, and a biodiversity inventory
Description
TitleTardigrades: an imaging approach, a record of occurrence, and a biodiversity inventory
Date Created2020
Other Date2020-05 (degree)
Extent1 online resource (xi, 55 pages) : illustrations
DescriptionThree unrelated studies that address several aspects of the biology of tardigrades -- morphology, records of occurrence, and local biodiversity -- are herein described.
Chapter 1 is a collaborative effort and meant to provide supplementary scanning electron micrographs for a forthcoming description of a genus of tardigrade. Three micrographs illustrate the structures that will be used to distinguish this genus from its confamilials. An In toto lateral view presents the external structures relative to one another. A second micrograph shows a dentate collar at the distal end of each of the fourth pair of legs, a posterior sensory organ (cirrus E), basal spurs at the base of two of four claws on each leg, and a ventral plate. The third micrograph illustrates an appendage on the second leg (p2) of the animal and a lateral appendage (C′) at the posterior sinistral margin of the first paired plate (II). This image also reveals patterning on the plate margin and the leg. A fourth image presents the tip of a feeding stylet, which is normally retracted into the body.
Chapter 2 compares unknown marine specimens collected in New Jersey to Neoechiniscoides pollocki Møbjerg et al., 2019 (=Echiniscoides pollocki Hallas & Kristensen, 1982). We provisionally consider the specimens Neoechiniscoides cf. pollocki, due to their warty cuticle, cephalic sensory appendages (internal and external cirri) that terminate in star-like arrays of projections, 8,8,8,7 claw configuration, and the absence of tertiary clavae.
Chapter 3 is an inventory of tardigrades on Plummers Island, Maryland that adds the phylum Tardigrada to the list of known taxa from the island. The genera Astatumen and Diphascon are new records for the state of Maryland, while the genera Milnesium, Macrobiotus, and Minibiotus were also recovered. Tardigrades were found in higher abundance in the eastern sites than the western sites, and eggs were only recovered from two sites.
NoteM.S.
NoteIncludes bibliographical references
NoteIncludes vita
Genretheses, ETD graduate
LanguageEnglish
CollectionCamden Graduate School Electronic Theses and Dissertations
Organization NameRutgers, The State University of New Jersey
RightsThe author owns the copyright to this work.
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