New data on Brazilian semiplanktonic gastrotrichs (Gastrotricha: Chaetonotida)

Gastrotricha are free-living aquatic microinvertebrates with a ubiquitous distribution. With almost two centuries of accumulated knowledge, currently there are more than 860 described species, but our knowledge on Brazilian Gastrotricha is still far from complete. This statement is even more precise when considering freshwater semiplanktonic gastrotrichs. We aim to contribute to biodiversity knowledge of Brazilian gastrotrichofauna with new records of Dasydytes lamellatus Kisielewski, 1991, Haltidytes pseudosquamosus Minowa & Garraffoni, 2017 and Neogossea acantholla Kisielewski, 1991. We provide morphometric, molecular and phylogenetic data for these species, and the first electron microscopy record of D. lamellatus revealing previously inaccessible characters.

Automated summary

We contribute to the biodiversity knowledge of Brazilian Gastrotricha by reporting new records, providing morphometric, molecular, and phylogenetic data, and presenting the first electron microscopy record of D. lamellatus.