Author/Authors :
Molavi, F. Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Mashhad Branch - Islamic Azad University - Mashhad, Iran , Mokhtari, A. Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Mashhad Branch - Islamic Azad University - Mashhad, Iran , Nayebi Moghaddam, S. Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Mashhad Branch - Islamic Azad University - Mashhad, Iran , Abedian, S.M. J. Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Mashhad Branch - Islamic Azad University - Mashhad, Iran , Azimi Taraghdari, Z Department of Biology - Faculty of Science - Mashhad Branch - Islamic Azad University - Mashhad, Iran
Abstract :
Tardigrada is a phylum closely allied with the arthropods. They are small (0.05-1.20 mm),
hygrophilous micrometazoans, have four pairs of lobe-like legs and are either carnivorous
or feed on plant material. Most of the tardigrade species are limno-terrestrial. In two
moss and lichen samples collected in Mashhad, one heterotardigrade species was found.
Echiniscus testudo (Doyère, 1840) belongs to the Echiniscidae group and differs from most
of other species in this group mainly by having a different claw configuration and by
some morphometric characters. This study is the first report of tardigrades from Iran.
Keywords :
Diversity , Biogeography , Tardigrada , Middle East , Water bears
