Distribution patterns of the diversity of neotropical and andean limnoterrestrial tardigrades (Ecdysozoa: Tardigrada)

• Grant number: 22/14458-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: December 01, 2022
• End date: November 30, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Ecology
• Principal Investigator: Antonia Cecília Zacagnini Amaral
• Grantee: Pedro Danel de Souza Ugarte
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biologia (IB). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/10313-0 - Build-up of scientific collections of marine invertebrates: strategies for biodiversity conservation, AP.BTA.TEM

Abstract

Tardigrades are free-living microscopic animals belonging to the phylum Tardigrade, categorised into two main classes (Heterotardigrade and Eutardigrade). Most known tardigrade species are limnoterrestrial. They colonise terrestrial (such as mosses, lichens, litter or soil) and aquatic habitats, with few marine and exclusively aquatic species. Tardigrades suffer from the "meiofauna paradox", meaning they are animals with a generalised distribution but low dispersal abilities. As with other meiofaunal organisms, there is a significant gap in knowledge about many aspects of their biology, and especially the distribution of their diversity, especially in the Neotropical and Andean regions. Currently, information on aquatic and limnoterrestrial tardigrades is spread out in different publications specifically focused on detailed descriptions. In this context, the present work aims to analyse tardigrades' spatial patterns of richness from the Neotropical and Andean regions. For this, occurrence data obtained from the scientific literature available until the present year will be compiled. From this data, we plan to prepare maps to graphically illustrate the distribution of these organisms' observed richness, also helping to analyse these patterns. Furthermore, it is planned to use this database to generate curves of species accumulation, rarefaction and richness estimators, correcting the estimates for sampling bias. It is expected that this project's results will significantly contribute to the knowledge of the aquatic and limnoterrestrial tardigrade fauna.

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

UGARTE, PEDRO DANEL DE SOUZA; SUZUKI, LUISA PUCCI; CRUVINEL, LAURA GONSALVES; GARRAFFONI, RINALDO SENNA. Georeferenced database and interactive online map of limnoterrestrial and freshwater Tardigrada from Central and South America. Biota Neotropica, v. 23, n. 3, p. 9-pg., 2023-01-01. (21/05612-0, 18/10313-0, 22/14458-8)