Tardigrades of the Australian Antarctic: Macquarie Island, sub-Antarctica

Sub-Antarctic Macquarie Island lies in the Southern Ocean between Tasmania and Antarctica and just above the Antarctic Convergence. Extensive flora and fauna samples were collected during the 1977—78 Australian Museum Expedition. Thirteen genera and 25 species of tardigrades are reported from among the 8725 specimens recovered from the 72 samples. Association between species of tardigrades and between species of tardigrades and plant species are discussed. Possible predator-prey relationships are suggested by patterns of association.