Contribution to the fresh water Tardigrada from Barentsoya, Svalbard (78°30′N)

Abstract

Fifteen species and one subspecies of Tardigrada were found in the littoral zone of 18 fresh water bodies on the Talaveraflya. All taxa are new records for Barentsoya; Hypsibius antarcticus and Macrobiotus dianeae were not previously reported from Svalbard. A faunal survey (comprising 30 taxa) for all high arctic water bodies is given. The most frequently and numerously encountered fresh water species are Isohypsibius granulifer and Hypsibius dujardini. -from Authors