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HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE PHYLUM TARDIGRADA

HIERARCHICAL CLASSIFICATION OF THE PHYLUM TARDIGRADA

EUKARYA> UNIKONTA> OPISTHOKONTA> ANIMALIA> BILATERIA> PROTOSTOMATA> ECDYSOZOA> PANARTHROPODA> TARDIGRADA
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Introduction

Synoptic Description

Ruppert and Barnes (1991) and Nelson 2002) separate the phylum into two (or three) classes. However, most taxonomic systems recognize those groups only at the ordinal level. Renaud-Morrant (1971, cited in Meglitsch and Schram 1991) has a single class and three orders. I have followed the system of Nelson (2002).

CLASS HETEROTARDIGRADA (2 ORDERS)

  • Styraconyx
  • Echinoscoides, Anisonyches
  • Oreella
  • Carphania
  • Echiniscus, Hypechiniscus, Pseudechiniscus

CLASS MESOTARDIGRADA (1 ORDER)

  • Thermozodium

CLASS EUTARDIGRADA (2 ORDERS)

  • Adorybiotus, Calcarobiotus, Dactylobiotus, Macrobiotus, Macroversum, Minibiotus, Murrayon, Pseudodiphascon, Pseudohexapodibius, Richtersius, Xerobiotus.
  • Calohypsibius, Haplohexapodibius, Haplomacrobiotus, Hexapodibius, Parahexapodibius
  • Eohypsibius, Amphibolus
  • Microhypsibius, Fractonotus
  • Halobiotus, Ramajendas, Isohypsibius, Acutuncus, Astatumen, Diphascon, Doryphoribius, Eremobiotus, Hebesuncus, Hypisibius, Isohypsibius, Itaquascon, Fujiscon, Mesocrista, Mixibius, Paradiphascon, Parascon, Platycrista, Pseudobiotus, Ramazottius, Thulinia
  • Necopinatum
  • Apodibius
  • Milnesium, Limmenius, Milnesioides
  • Archechiniscus, Batillipes, Stygarctus, Tanarctus
LITERATURE CITED

Bertolani, R., R. Guidetti, I. Jonsson, T. Altiero, D. Boschini, and L. Rebecchi. 2004. Experiences with domancy in tardigrades. J. Limnol. 63(Suppl. 1): 16-25.

Brusca, R. C. and G. J. Brusca. 2003. Invertebrates. Sinauer Associates, Inc. Sunderland, Mass.

Budd, G. E. 2001. Tardigrades as ‘Stem-Group Arthropods’: The evidence from the Cambrian fauna. Zool. Anz. 240: 265-279.

Esser, R. P. 1990. Tardigrades attacking nematodes. Nematology Circular No. 177. Fla Dept. Agric. and Consumer Serv. pp. 4.

Hickman, C. P. 1973. Biology of the Invertebrates. The C. V. Mosby Company. Saint Louis.

Jönsson, K. I., E. Rabbow. R. O. Schill, M. Harms-Ringdahl, and P. Rettberg. 2008. Tardigrades survive exposure to space in low Earth orbit. Current Biology. 18(17): R729-R731. et al. 2008)

Margulis, L. and K. Schwartz. 1998. Five kingdoms, an illustrated guide to the phyla of life on earth. 3rd Edition. W. H. Freeman and Company. New York.

Nicholas, W.L. 2001b. The pseudocoelomate Ecdysozoa. In: Anderson, D.T., ed. Invertebrate Zoology. Oxford University Press. Oxford, UK. pp. 98-119.

Nelson, D. R. 2002. Current status of the Tardigrada: evolution and ecology. Integ. and Comp. Biol. 42: 652-659.

Nielsen, C. 2001. Animal Evolution: Interrelationships of the Living Phyla. 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press. Oxford.

Pechenik, J. A. 2005. Biology of the Invertebrates. McGraw-Hill. New York.

Romano, F. A. 2003. On water bears. Florida Entomologist. 86(2): 134-137.

Ruppert, E. E. and R. D. Barnes. 1994. Invertebrate Zoology. 6th edition. Saunders. Ft Worth, TX.

Schill, R. O., G. H. B. Steinbruck, and H.-R. Kohler. 2004. Stress gene (hsp70) sequences and quantitative expression in Milnesium tardigradum (Tardigrada) during active and cryptobiotic stages. Journal of Experimental Biology. 207: 1607-1613.

Telford, M. J. S. J. Bourlat, A. Economou, D. Papillion, and O. Rota-Stabelli. 2008. The evolution of Ecdysozoa. Phil. Trans. R. Soc. B. 363: 1529-1537.

Tudge, C. 2000. The Variety of Life, A Survey and a Celebration of all the Creatures That Have Ever Lived. Oxford University Press. New York.
By Jack R. Holt and Carlos A. Iudica. Last revised: 02/04/2012
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