Browsing by Author "Santos, Érika"
Now showing 1 - 2 of 2
Results Per Page
Sort Options
- A new species of Ligiarctus (Tardigrada, Arthrotardigrada) from the Brazilian continental shelf, Southwestern Atlantic OceanPublication . Júnior, Edivaldo Gomes; Santos, Érika; Rocha, Clélia M. C. da; Santos, Paulo J. P.; Fontoura, PauloA new marine arthrotardigrade, Ligiarctus alatus sp. nov. found in sediments of the Brazilian continental shelf (100–150 m depth) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, is described in this study. This new species was recorded from sites located in the major oil extraction basins in Brazil (Campos and Potiguar basins). Within the subfamily Floractinae, the genus Ligiarctus characteristically presents primary clavae bent backwards, occupying the reduced lateral edges of the head. The new species is clearly distinguishable from L. eastwardi, the only known species of the genus, by the presence of internal distal notches on all claws, and six aliform cuticular expansions (frontal ala, two anterolateral alae, two posterolateral alae and caudal ala) with continuous digitiform procuticular supports (caesti). Ligiarctus eastwardi has only a caudal ala without caesti and internal notches are present on external claws only. The same pattern of cuticular expansions and caesti exhibited by the new species also occurs in the genus Florarctus, increasing the difficulty of defining the taxonomy of the subfamily Florarctinae, and forcing the emendment of the generic diagnosis of Ligiarctus.
- On the distribution of Batillipes tubernatis Pollock, 1971 (Arthrotardigrada: Batillipedidae) in the Atlantic BasinPublication . Santos, Érika; Rubal, Marcos; Veiga, Puri; Bartels, Paul J.; Rocha, Clélia M. C. da; Fontoura, PauloSpecimens of Batillipes tubernatis Pollock, 1971 collected from the Portuguese coast (Lusitanian sea province) indicated a considerable southward extension in the distribution of the species along the northeast Atlantic Ocean. Based on the examination of these specimens and those of Pollock’s collection from the type locality (Scotland), it can also be concluded that the redescription of B. tubernatis based on specimens from the Gulf of Mexico (tropical northwest Atlantic Ocean) does not correspond to that species. Several differences, namely in the shape of cephalic appendages, toe discs and pattern of cuticular sculpture, clearly distinguish specimens of B. tubernatis from those collected in the Gulf of Mexico that certainly belong to a new unnamed species. Moreover, the examination of specimens previously collected in the southwest Atlantic Ocean (Brazil) and attributed to B. tubernatis showed that they belong to other undescribed new Batillipes species, suggesting that B. tubernatis does not occur in that region. Additionally, the only record from the temperate northwest Atlantic Ocean attributed to this species cannot be assigned to B. tubernatis either. Therefore, a clarification about the current taxonomic status of B. tubernatis is provided and a short characterisation of the habitat of this species on the Portuguese coast is presented. As the occurrence of the species outside the northeast Atlantic Ocean is questioned, this work should renew the discussion about trans- and cis-Atlantic distributions of meiobenthic species.