First record of the Eremobiotus alicatai (Binda, 1969) (Eutardigrada) from Svalbard Archipelago: An example of possible human mediated dispersal

First record of the Ere. alicatai from Arctic

Authors

  • Jedrzej Wargula Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5098-6608
  • Łukasz Kaczmarek Department of Animal Taxonomy and Ecology, Faculty of Biology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 6, 61-614 Poznań, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4824-1888

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.24425/ppr.2026.158403

Abstract

This is the first report of Eremobiotus alicatai Binda 1969 from Arctic soil on West Spitsbergen (Svalbard Archipelago). Species identification was confirmed using an integrative approach combining detailed morphological examination with molecular analyses based on mitochondrial COI and nuclear markers (ITS-2 rRNA, 18S rRNA, and 28S rRNA). Newly obtained sequences were used to reconstruct a Templeton–Crandall–Sing (TCS) haplotype network, enabling comparison with previously known populations of this species from Italy. Our results extend the known geographic range of Ere. alicatai and provide new data on its genetic diversity, contributing to a better understanding of the biogeography of soil tardigrades in the Arctic. The presence of this typically European species in a highly anthropogenically influenced locality on Svalbard suggests that its occurrence may be linked to unintentional human-mediated dispersal, possibly associated with the historical transport of soil and/or other organic material to the West Spitsbergen.

Downloads

Published

2026-07-01

How to Cite

Wargula, Jedrzej, and Łukasz Kaczmarek. “First Record of the Eremobiotus Alicatai (Binda, 1969) (Eutardigrada) from Svalbard Archipelago: An Example of Possible Human Mediated Dispersal: First Record of the Ere. Alicatai from Arctic”. Polish Polar Research, vol. 47, no. 1-2, July 2026, pp. 35-45, doi:10.24425/ppr.2026.158403.

Issue

Section

Articles