Bryodelphax parvulus Thulin, 1928, 2017

Kaczmarek, Łukasz, 2017, Annotated zoogeography of non-marine Tardigrada. Part IV: Africa, Zootaxa 4284 (1), pp. 1-74 : 8

3. Bryodelphax parvulus Thulin, 1928 sensu lato [T]

Bryodelphax parvulus Thulin 1928 (da Cunha & do Nascimento 1964) Echiniscus (B.) parvulus ( Thulin 1928) (Binda 1971)

Bryodelphax parvulus ( Ramløv & Kristensen 1985)

Terra typica : Norway (Europe)

Angola:

• 07°47′S, 15°01′E; 650 m asl: Uíge Province, near Carmona [Uíge], Estate at Pumba Loge, lichens. da Cunha & do Nascimento (1964)

Libya:

• 32°29′N, 20°50′E; 350 m asl: Marj District, Barce [Marj], moss. Pilato & Pennisi (1976)

Morocco:

• 32°56′N, 05°40′W; 1,700 m asl [850 m asl]: Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Khénifra, moss. Binda (1971)

• 31°08′N, 07°55′W; 1,700 m asl: Tadla-Azilal Region, Imlil , walnut forest, moss on limestone cliffs. Ramløv & Kristensen (1985)

• 31°06′N, 07°55′W; 2,300–2,500 m asl: Tadla-Azilal Region, path to the Jebel Toubkal , scattered tussock vegetation, moss on basalt and mica slate. Ramløv & Kristensen (1985)

Record numbers. Angola: 1, Morocco: 3, Libya: 1; total: 5.

Remarks. The considerable morphological variation of B. parvulus (e.g. the presence or absence of the spine and papilla on legs, etc.) suggests that this taxon may be a complex of closely related species, each with limited geographic ranges, rather than a single cosmopolitan species (see also Pilato et al. 2010). The actual geographic range and the presence of B. parvulus sensu lato in Africa must be carefully verified.