Hypsibius nivalis Ono, Takeuchi & Zawierucha, 2022

Deshmukh, Umakant Bhoopati, 2024, Validation of Hypsibius nivalis Ono Takeuchi & Zawierucha, 2022 (Eutardigrada: Hypsibiidae) from Japan, Zootaxa 5405 (4), pp. 599-600 : 599

Hypsibius nivalis Ono, Takeuchi & Zawierucha, 2022

http://zoobank.org/ urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:E655AE4A-4EF3-43BF-BA36-9C88B8A6D171

Hypsibius nivalis sp. nov. (Figs 3–6, Table 1, and Supplementary Material 1 in Ono et al. 2022).

Diagnosis (based on Ono et al. 2022): Body transparent/white, with eyes present in the examined specimens. The cuticle smooth in Phase Contrast Microscopy (PCM). Buccal apparatus of the Hypsibius type. Oral cavity armature either absent or not visible in PCM. Pharyngeal bulb with apophyses, and two rod-shaped macroplacoids. Stylet supports located in the posterior position. Apophyses for the insertion of stylet muscles hook-shaped. Hypsibius type furcae present. The macroplacoid length sequence 2<1, microplacoid and septulum absent. The apophyses clearly separated from the first macroplacoids. All macroplacoids clearly separated. All primary branches with accessory points. Cuticular bars under and between the claws absent, but a thickening under hind claws base clearly visible. Claw bases smooth. Pseudolunules poorly visible. Eggs unknown.

Type material. HOLOTYPE, slide code: “April, 19, Japan snow no. 1/10” is deposited at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; 31 paratypes, slide codes: “April, Japan snow no. 1/4, 1/6–1/9, 1/15, 2/1–2/2, R/2, R/4–R6”; SEM stub codes: “2005GA no. R-1, R” are deposited at the Graduate School of Science and Engineering, Chiba University, Chiba, Japan; and four paratypes, slide codes: “ Japan snow 2/1, 2/3, 3/2” are deposited at Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Poland.

Type locality: Japan, Mt. Gassan (38°30’N, 140°00’E, 770 m asl) .

Description: For full description of Hypsibius nivalis see Ono et al. (2022)

Etymology: Name nivalis , “related to snow” in Lain, refers to the environment where the species was found.