An integrative description of Mesobiotus mandalori sp. nov. (Eutardigrada, Macrobiotoidea) from Poland

In this paper we provide integrative description (morphological and genetic) of the new eutardigrade species Mesobiotus mandalorisp. nov. from central Poland, found during research on the vertical distribution of Tardigrada in the Czerniejewskie Forests. Mesobiotus mandalorisp. nov. belongs to the harmsworthi group, but it differs from the members of this group in some morphometric characters of the bucco-pharyngeal apparatus, claws and/or eggs. Morphologically, Meb. mandalorisp. nov. is most similar to Meb. pseudocoronatus, but it differs from it by a larger bare egg diameter and smaller number of egg processes on egg circumference. Morphometrical data were supported by results of comparative genetic analysis of four molecular markers: 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, ITS2 and COI. According to COI the new species is most similar to Meb. skorackii with the genetic distance of 21.1%.https://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:0222E328-CF9E-4D04-8F8C-69C80515FEE2