| Summary: | Tardigrades (Tardigrada) are small water-dwelling invertebrates found almoust everywhere around the world in water and terrestrial habitats, even in Artic and Antartic. In this study diversity and distribution of terrestrial tardigrades (Tardigrada) were investigated in mosses and lichen (X. parietina). Mosses were collected in Kaunas botanical garden, lichens – in Kaunas, Jonava and Kaišiadorys districts from polluted and unpollutes sites. Four species, belonging to genera Ramazzottius, Macrobiotus, Milnesium, Isohypsibius were found in mosses and seven species, belonging to genera Ramazzottius, Macrobiotus, Milnesium, Isohypsibius, Hypsibius were found in lichen (X. parietina). The study results showed that dominant tardigrade species in mosses was Macrobiotus richersi (?), in lichen (polluted and unpolluted sites) most abundant species was Ramazzottius oberhaeuseri. Less dominant, but found in all samples (mosses and lichen) were Macrobiotus hufelandi and Milnesium tardigradum Biologijos katedra Vytauto Didžiojo universitetas
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