Integrative description of two new <i>Milnesium</i> species (Apochela: milnesiidae) from Canada and Nepal

Global knowledge of tardigrade diversity is limited, and there are still regions with poorly studied fauna. We applied an integrative taxonomy approach to describe two new eutardigrade species from Nepal and Canada. The present analysis was based on morphological and morphometric data (using both light and scanning electron microscopy) combined with multilocus molecular data (nuclear barcode sequences, i.e. 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and ITS–2, and one mitochondrial COI sequences) combined with Automated Simultaneous Analysis Phylogenetics (ASAP) species delimitation. The new species belongs to the tardigradum morphogroup with [3–3]-[3–3] claw configuration. Morphologically, both species are most similar to Milnesium alpigenum, Mil. iniquum, Mil. shilohae and Mil. quiranae, but differ from them by morphometric traits of the buccal tube and claws, and the presence or absence of eyes. Based on COI p-distances, Mil. milenae sp. nov. is most similar to Mil. pentapapillatum and Milnesium myriae sp. nov. is most similar to Mil. eurystomum.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2B7E2507-80F9-483B-8082-15802706B4FA