Paramacrobiotus richtersi ( Murray, 1911 ), 2017

Kaczmarek, Łukasz, 2017, Annotated zoogeography of non-marine Tardigrada. Part IV: Africa, Zootaxa 4284 (1), pp. 1-74 : 55-57

159. Paramacrobiotus richtersi ( Murray, 1911) sensu lato [T]

Macrobiotus richtersii Murray (Murray 1913 , Pardi 1941)

Macrobiotus schultzei Greeff 1866 ( Rahm 1936)

Macrobiotus richtersii J. Murray, 1911 ( Rodriguez-Roda 1947)

Macrobiotus schultzei Greeff 1866 ( Rahm 1936, da Cunha & do Nascimento 1964)

Macrobiotus richtersi ( Iharos 1969a)

Macrobiotus richtersi J. Murr., (1911) (Binda 1971)

Macrobiotus richtersi J. Murr., 1911 (Pilato 1972)

Macrobiotus richtersi Murray, 1911 ( Pilato & Pennisi 1976, Binda 1984, Binda & Pilato 1987, Van Rompu et al. 1995,

Meyer & Hinton 2009)

Macrobiotus richtersi J. Murr. ( Iharos 1978)

M. richtersi ( Ramløv & Kristensen 1985)

M. richtersi J. Murray, 1911 ( Séméria 1986)

Macrobiotus cf. richtersi Murray, 1911 ( Middleton 2003, Kaczmarek & Michalczyk 2004b)

Paramacrobiotus cf. richtersi ( Murray, 1911) ? ( Gąsiorek et al. 2017)

Terra typica : Ireland (Europe)

Algeria:

• 36°49′N, 05°47′E; 0 m asl: Jijel Province, Jijel, Les Aftis beach (Ziama Monsouria). Binda & Pilato (1987) • 36°46′N, 05°06′E; 400 m asl: Béjaïa Province, Pic des Singes . Binda & Pilato (1987) • 36°40′N, 05°09′E; 50 m asl: Béjaïa Province, Tichi [Tichy]. Binda & Pilato (1987) • 36°38′N, 05°45′E; 1,200 m asl: Jijel Province, M’Sid-Ech-Cheta (Texenna Pass). Binda & Pilato (1987) • 36°28′N, 04°14′E; 1,700 m asl: Tizi Ouzou Province, Massif of Djurdjura ( Assouille depression). Binda & Pilato (1987) • 34°40′N, 06°11′E; 0 m asl: Biskra Province, 30 km from Biskra, El Oued [ Zeribet el Oued]. Binda & Pilato (1987) Angola:

• 07°47′S, 15°01′E; 650 m asl: Uíge Province, near Carmona [Uíge], Estate at Pumba Loge, mosses and lichens. da Cunha

& do Nascimento (1964)

• 14°44′S, 15°01′E: Undefined locality, Huíla Province, Impaca, mosses and lichens. da Cunha & do Nascimento (1964)

Cameroon:

• 04°57′N, 09°56′E; 800 m asl: Littoral Region, Kongsamba [ Nkongsamba ], moss on tree. Iharos (1969a)

• 04°13′N, 09°10′E; 4,000 m asl: Southwest Region, Mount Cameroon National Park, Mount Cameroon, near fumaroles (80°C), moss on soil. Iharos (1969a)

• 04°12′N, 09°12′E; 2,900–3,000 m asl: Southwest Region, Mount Cameroon National Park, Mount Cameroon, moss on trees and lava blocks. Iharos (1969a)

• 04°11′N, 09°12′E; 1,900–1,950 m asl: Southwest Region, Mount Cameroon National Park, Mount Cameroon, primeval forest, above bothy No. 1, moss on trees and lava. Iharos (1969a)

• 04°10′N, 09°13′E; 1,300–1,500 m asl: Southwest Region, Mount Cameroon National Park, Mount Cameroon, rainforest, moss on tree. Iharos (1969a)

• 04°10′N, 09°13′E; 1,660–1,800 m asl: Southwest Region, Mount Cameroon National Park, Mount Cameroon, rainforest, moss on tree. Iharos (1969a)

Equatorial Guinea:

• 03°39′N, 08°49′E; 1,500 m asl: Fernando Póo [Bioko Island], Bioko Norte Province, Pico Basilé , among mosses and liverworts. Rodriguez-Roda (1947)

Ethiopia:

• 04°03′N, 38°19′E; 1,700 m asl: Oromia Region, Mēga, former English residence, moss ( Pleurochaete sp.) on tree ( Juniperus procera), moss in stream, moss on ( Juniperus procera) and moss ( Neckera sp.) from tree ( Juniperus procera) (4 samples). Pardi (1941)

Gabon:

• 00°18′N, 09°30′E; 10–40 m asl: Estuaire Province, near Libreville, Owendo , moss on tree. Iharos (1969a)

• Israel and Palestinian National Authority:

• 32°53′N, 35°34′E; - 200 m asl: N shore of Sea of Galilee, Capernaum, moss ( Hypnum sp.). Rahm (1936)

Kenya:

• 00°01′S, 37°54′E: Undefined locality, British East Africa [ Kenya], moss. Murray (1913)

Lesotho:

• 29°19′S, 27°29′E; 1,550 m asl: Maseru District, Maseru, moss or lichen on tree or rock. Middleton (2003)

• 29°38′S, 27°31′E; 1,750 m asl: Maseru District, Morija , moss or lichen on tree or rock. Middleton (2003)

Libya:

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

Morocco:

• 33°31′N, 05°07′W; 1,650 m asl: Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Ras al Ma [Res el Ma], mosses on trees ( Cedrus ) and rocks. Séméria (1986)

• 32°56′N, 05°40′W; 1,700 m asl [850 m asl]: Meknès-Tafilalet Region, Khenifra [Khénifra], moss. Binda (1971), Pilato (1972)

• 32°25′N, 05°13′W; 1,750 m asl: Meknès-Tafilalet Region, S of Azrou , cedar forest, moss on basalt boulders in the forest glade. Ramløv & Kristensen (1985)

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

Republic of South Africa:

• 24°38′S, 30°51′E; 1,800 m asl: Undefined locality, Gauteng or Mpumalanga Province, Dragon Mountains, near the canyon of Blade River, moss on soil in the grass. Kaczmarek & Michalczyk (2004b)

• 25°45′S, 28°11′E; 1,300 m asl: Gauteng Province, Pretoria , moss. Murray (1913)

• 29°44′S, 22°44′E: Undefined locality, Cape Colony [Cape Province]. Murray (1913)

• 29°44′S, 30°32′E; 750 m asl: KwaZulu-Natal Province, Tala Private Game Reserve , lichen on tree ( Acacia ). Meyer & Hinton (2009)

• 34°01′S, 23°55′E; 200 m asl: Eastern Cape Province, Tizitzikama / Tzitzikama [ Tsitsikamma National Park ], moss. Binda (1984)

Tunisia:

• 36°57′N, 08°45′E; 0 m asl: Jendouba Governorate, surroundings of Tabarka. Binda & Pilato (1987)

• 36°53'57''N, 10°18'19''E; 67 m asl: Tunis Governorate, Gammaarth , rural, lichen on tree and moss on soil (2 samples). Gąsiorek et al. (2017)

• 36°46′N, 08°41′E; 700 m asl: Jendouba Governorate, surroundings of Ain Draham, forest of Quercus sauber and Q. libanotis , moss on soil and vegetable debris mixed with soil (2 samples). Iharos (1978)

• 36°43'19''N, 08°43'30''E; 474 m asl: Jendouba Governorate, Beni M'tir, forest, moss on soil. Gąsiorek et al. (2017)

• 36°07′N, 08°30′E; 350 m asl: Kef Governorate, along the road between El Kef and Sakiet, 23 km W El Kef, Qued el Kohl, scrub, sparse vegetation, with stony ground and thin layer of surface soil, soil with vegetable debris or litter under trees ( Pinus halepensis and Juniperus phoenicus ). Iharos (1978)

• 36°07′N, 08°32′E; 450 m asl: Kef Governorate, along road from El Kef and Sakiet, 21 km W El Kef, strongly insolated area, lichen on soil and moss on soil mixed with fine-grained soil (2 samples). Iharos (1978)

• 36°22'55''N, 10°07'03''E; 357 m asl: Zaghouan Governorate, Zaghouan, forest, mosses on soil (4 samples). Gąsiorek et al. (2017)

Uganda:

• 01°22′N, 32°17′E: Undefined locality. Murray (1913)

Zimbabwe:

• 17°46′S, 31°03′E; 1 500 m asl: Harare City, Tobacco Research Board , nematology seed bed site, under grass, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 18°20′S, 26°28′E; 700 m asl: Matabeleland North Province, 370 km from Bulawayo, beyond Hwange village, along the road to Livingstone, mopane forest, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 18°44′S, 26°57′E; 1,100 m asl: Matabeleland North Province, Hwange National Park, near Main Camp , under grass and shrubs, dry sandy soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 18°56′S, 27°46′E; 1,000 m asl: Matabeleland North Province, 182 km from Bulawayo alongside the road to Hwange, Lupane, around a tree, dry sandy soil with some organic debris. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°06′S, 31°00′E; 1,050 m asl: Masvingo Province, Popoteke Gorge [ Popoteki Gorge ], along the river, under reeds, humid soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°26′S, 28°31′E; 1,350 m asl: Matabeleland South Province, Matobo National Park, Matopos, Moth Shrine , under grass, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°29′S, 28°31′E; 1,350 m asl: Matabeleland South Province, Matobo National Park, Matopos, close to the parking near White Rhino Cave , dry river bed, under grass and mopane tree, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°31′S, 29°21′E; 1,100 m asl: Matabeleland South Province, right side of the road from Masvingo to Bulawayo, 175 km from Masvingo, under shrubs and mopane tree, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°32′S, 28°28′E; 1,350 m asl: Matabeleland South Province, Matobo National Park, Matopos, Nswatugi Cave, 10 m from the parking, under grass and various trees, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 20°33′S, 28°31′E; 1,400 m asl: Matabeleland South Province, Matobo National Park, Matopos, left from the path to Pomongwe Cave, 10 m before the cave, under various trees, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

• 21°27′S, 32°04′E; 200 m asl: Masvingo Province, Gonaredzhou National Park [South Gonarezhou National Park], Mwatambo viewpoint, under grass and shrubs, dry soil. Van Rompu et al. (1995)

Record numbers. Algeria: 6, Angola: 2, Cameroon: 6, Equatorial Guinea: 1, Ethiopia: 1, Gabon: 1, Israel and Palestinian National Authority: 1, Kenya: 1, Lesotho: 2, Libya: 1, Morocco: 4, Republic of South Africa: 5, Tunisia: 7, Uganda: 1, Zimbabwe: 11; total: 50.

Remarks. Paramacrobiotus richtersi was, until recently, believed to be cosmopolitan ( McInnes 1994). New data has shown that this is the nominal species for a species complex – the ‘ richtersi group’ – requiring careful examination of both adults and eggs. Most African reports pre-date the taxonomic re-assessment and several lack eggs, so proper identification cannot be confirmed (e.g. Van Rompu et al. (1995), whose drawings could be interpreted as an adult of the M. harmsworthi group). Paramacrobiotus richtersi was originally described from Europe ( Murray, 1911), suggesting ‘some confusion’ and that all African records should be treated with caution until the original material is re-examined or the species is otherwise verified from the region.