Integrative description of <i>Macrobiotus porifini</i> sp. nov. (Macrobiotidae) from Madagascar and its phylogenetic position within the <i>hufelandi</i> group

In this paper we applied an integrative taxonomy approach to describe a new tardigrade species from Madagascar. The description is based on morphological and morphometric data (using both light and scanning electron microscopy), combined with genetic data (nuclear sequences, i.e., 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA and mitochondrial COI sequences). Based on egg chorion morphology the new species is most similar to: <i>Mac. hannae, Mac. joannae, Mac. kamilae, Mac. madegassus, Mac. modestus, Mac. paulinae</i> and <i>Mac. polypiformis</i>, but differs from them in several morphological and morphometrical characters of eggs and adults (e.g. absence of eyes, different oral cavity armature, size of cuticular pores, absence of dentated lunules under claws, size of eggs and egg processes, and shape of terminal discs of egg processes). The uncorrected genetic p–distances enabled an independent verification of <i>Macrobiotus porifini</i> sp. nov. as a species new to science. Genetic analysis also allowed us to determine the phylogenetic position of <i>Mac. porifini</i> sp. nov. within the <i>hufelandi</i> group.urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7D719ACC-84E3-4C1B-9B74-C558788B3140