| Summary: | Rotifers are aquatic invertebrates known for their high tolerance and adaptability when faced with environmental stressors such as drought and extreme temperatures. Here, a bdelloid rotifer was discovered in a shelved beaker stored for ~6 years at 4˚C, originally collected from a field sample on Deception Glacier, WA. DNA sequencing at nuclear and mitochondrial loci followed by phylogenetic analyses revealed three haplotypes that share a close evolutionary relationship with an ice-obligate, Norwegian rotifer lineage. Viability experiments established their growth rate between 4 – 37˚C, survivability after freezing at -20˚C, and pH tolerance between 5.8 – 7.9. A metagenomic analysis of the glacial meltwater sample revealed a highly diverse fungal and bacterial community. Collectively, these data identify a new species of bdelloid rotifer, and the first glacier-obligate Rotifera discovered in North America. M.S. Includes bibliographical references
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