Antarctic Tardigrada: a first step in understanding molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) and biogeography of cryptic meiofauna

• Published in: Invertebrate Systematics
• Main Authors: Czechowski, P, Sands, CJ, Adams, BJ, D'Haese, CA, Gibson, JAE, McInnes, SJ, Stevens, MI
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CSIRO Publishing 2012
• Subjects: Biological Sciences; Ecology; Terrestrial Ecology; Antarctic; Dronning Maud Land; The Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1071/IS12034; http://ecite.utas.edu.au/83439

Recent studies have suggested that some resident Antarctic biota are of ancient origin andmay have been isolatedfor millions of years. The phylum Tardigrada, which is part of the Antarctic terrestrial meiofauna, is of particular interest dueto an impressive array of biochemical abilities to withstand harsh environmental conditions. Tardigrades are one of the fewwidespread Antarctic terrestrial animals that have the potential to be used as a model for evolution and biogeography on theAntarctic continent. We isolated 126 individual tardigrades from four geographically isolated soil samples from two remotenunataks in the Sr Rondane Mountains, Dronning Maud Land, Antarctica. We examined genetic variation amongindividuals utilising three gene regions: cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI), 18S rDNA (18S), and the wingless(Wg) gene. Comparison of sequences from worldwide and Antarctic tardigrades indicated long-term survival and isolationover glacially dominated periods in ice-free habitats in the Sr Rondane Mountains.